College Volleyball Results – Guilford Goes 1-1 on Final Day of Averett Classic

DANVILLE, Va. – Guilford College’s volleyball team concluded competition at the Averett University Cougar Classic Sunday by splitting matches with the host Cougars and pulling out a 3-2 win over William Peace University. The Quakers dropped a pair of three-set decisions Saturday to Emory & Henry College and Randolph College.

The Quakers (1-4) finished the tournament on a high note with a hard-fought 25-23, 28-26, 18-25, 25-27, 15-12 win over the Pacers (3-2). Senior hitter Kelsey Ruehling put away a match- and career-high 26 kills on .317 hitting and added eight digs. Classmate Maile Munro set up 64 kills and also had eight digs. The contest featured 22 ties and nine lead changes, two in the final set. William Peace twice averted match point before Guilford’s Casey Davis put away her 13th kill to secure the win.

Becca Benfield (11 kills, .417 hitting percentage) and Heather Crawford (10 kills, 2 blocks) gave Guilford a season-high four students with 10 or more putaways. Brooke Herr picked up a match-high 22 digs and Davis added 21.

The Quakers nearly went four sets with the host Cougars (4-1) earlier in the day, but Averett staved off three set points and pulled out a 21-25, 25-17, 25-14, 24-26 victory. Hannah Shields led all students with 20 kills for the Cougars, including putaways in the final three points of the decisive fourth set. Guilford’s Ruehling paced the Quakers with 11 kills and 12 digs.

Ruehling paced Guilford’s offense over the weekend’s four matches. Buoyed by a strong Sunday, the senior led the Quakers with 3.67 kills per set on .225 hitting. She also contributed five aces, a club-best 4.17 points per set and 2.27 digs per set. Munro contributed nearly 10 assists per set, as well as seven aces and six blocks.

Coach Emily Gann’s club plays Saturday (9/12) in a tri-match with North Carolina Wesleyan College and William Peace in Raleigh, N.C.