College Volleyball Final – N.C. Wesleyan 3, Guilford 1

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Tori Stewart had 14 kills and 14 digs in North Carolina Wesleyan’s 3-1 comeback volleyball win over visiting Guilford College Wednesday night. After dropping the first set to the Quakers, 25-20, the Battling Bishops (9-13) bounced back to take the next three sets, 25-20, 25-11, 25-21.

The Quakers (5-12) won the second set’s first five points before North Carolina Wesleyan responded with a 13-4 run to take a 13-9 lead. Guilford twice rallied to within one point of the hosts, including at 21-20, but Stewart took over with three of her seven kills among the Bishops’ final four points in the 25-20 win.

Emily McLain put away five kills on six attempts with no errors as North Carolina Wesleyan quickly took the third set, 25-11. Evie Hunter also had five putaways and helped the Bishops hit .349 as a team.

The tightly contested fourth set saw North Carolina gradually build a 14-9 lead before Guilford battled back to tie the match at 16. Stewart served up two of her three aces as part of a 6-0 run that put the contest out of reach.
Hunter finished with 11 kills and 16 digs for the Bishops, who hit .245 as a team. McLain added nine kills on .474 hitting and a match-best five blocks. North Carolina Wesleyan totaled 12 team blocks, compared to the Quakers’ three. Bishops’ setter Ayla Brewer registered a team-high 42 assists and teammate Christina Huber picked up a match-best 23 digs.

The loss offset a strong game by Guilford’s Casey Davis (Thomasville, N.C./Trinity), who put away a match-high 19 kills on .294 hitting with six service aces and 17 digs. Teammate Kelsey Ruehling chipped in with 16 kills and five digs. Guilford’s Maile Munro added a double-double with 37 assists and 10 digs. Steffi Dutton picked up 21 digs.

Coach Emily Gann’s Quakers resume Old Dominion Athletic Conference play Sunday (10/18) with a tri-match with Virginia Wesleyan College hosted by Randolph-Macon College.