College Volleyball Final – Methodist 3, Guilford 1

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Cassidy Hayes had 16 kills and Brittany Ter Meer added 13 in visiting Methodist University’s 3-1 volleyball win at Guilford College Wednesday night. Methodist (2-7) prevailed, 25-16, 28-26, 22-25, 25-20.

Hayes had four kills and hit .250 in the fourth and final game, which saw the Monarchs overcome an early 8-1 deficit. The final set featured nine of the contest’s 27 lead changes, plus five ties. A Hayes kill broke the final deadlock (18-18) and was part of a 9-3 Monarchs’ run that ended the match.

The second game saw 14 lead changes and two ties. Ter Meer put away eight of her 13 kills in the game on .667 hitting. The Quakers rallied from an early 13-8 deficit and grabbed a 23-22 lead. Methodist rebounded and won the game on a Chyenne Pump kill on the Monarchs’ second game point.

Guilford’s Casey Davis (Thomasville, N.C./Trinity) responded in the third game and helped the Quakers open a 7-1 lead. The Monarchs battled back and led on occasion, but the Quakers won the game’s final five points, three off Davis kills, to force the fourth set. Davis finished with eight kills in the set.

Davis had a match-best 21 kills, one shy of her career high. Her 78 attempts rank sixth in school history, second in four-set contests. Rookie libero Christian Ritter (Asheboro, N.C./Eastern Randolph) picked up a match- and career-high 32 digs, the 10th-highest total in school history and the most by a Quaker since 2011. Tina Eucker chipped in 34 assists, four service aces and 14 digs. Davis added 19 digs for her team-leading sixth double-double of the year.

Methodist setter Maggie Harris had a match-best 36 assists, plus 12 digs. Annabelle Ronelli picked up 25 digs and Pump finished with 21 pickups, plus six kills.

Guilford opens Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) play Saturday (9/17) in a four-team match in the Ragan-Brown Field House. The Quakers play Randolph-Macon College at 11:00 a.m. and Virginia Wesleyan College at 2:00 p.m.