WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Guilford College’s volleyball team pushed its winning streak to a season-best three Saturday with two wins in a tri-match hosted by Salem College. The Quakers (8-11) knocked off NAIA-member Allen University, 25-10, 25-10, 25-7, and defeated the host Spirits, 25-21, 25-16, 25-21.
In Guilford’s first match, junior setter Taylor Whitley (China Grove, N.C./Jesse C. Carson) totaled eight service aces, 30 assists, five kills and two digs in the Quakers’ convincing win. Her eight aces stand second in school history and the team’s 19 service aces rank eighth all time. Guilford averaged 6.3 aces per game, which is the team’s third-best figure. Sophomore Michaela Wall (Elkin, N.C./Surry Central) contributed 10 kills on .600 hitting, both career highs, and rookie Kelsey Ruehling added seven kills on .357 hitting. Guilford hit a season-best .383 as a team, the eighth-highest hitting percentage in school history, in its first meeting with Allen (0-13).
Whitley served up three more aces and set up 38 kills in Guilford’s second win of the year over Salem (4-10). She also put away seven kills on .875 hitting, picked up six digs and had two blocks. Junior Malikah French (Durham, N.C./School of the Arts) had four blocks, put away a match-high 16 kills and hit .682, the sixth-best single-match percentage in school history. Brittany DeCesare added 13 kills and 10 digs, plus two service aces. Brooke Herr picked up a match-best 15 digs.
Roslyn Nixon paced the Spirits with nine kills on .409 hitting along with three blocks. Chelsea Jones had 19 assists.
Guilford visits Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) rival Roanoke College Tuesday (10/10) at 6:30 p.m.