GREENSBORO, N.C. – Junior Christian Ritter put down a match-high 16 kills and picked up 17 digs in Guilford College’s 3-1 volleyball win over visiting Methodist University Wednesday night. Tina Eucker added 40 assists and 12 digs as the Quakers’ improved to 3-2 on the young season.
Guilford won the match 25-23, 25-21, 19-25, 25-18.
The Quakers pulled out a tightly contested opening set thanks to a pair of Monarchs’ hitting errors with the match tied at 23-23. Neither team led by more than two points in the set, which featured five ties and two lead changes. Eucker set up 12 assists in the set, four to Ritter and three to Michaela Allred.
The Monarchs grabbed an early 4-1 edge in the set two, but the Quakers responded with a 5-1 run to take the lead. The match was tied at 10-10 when Methodist recorded attack errors on three straight points. Guilford built a 21-15 lead only to have the Monarchs draw to within 23-21. Consecutive kills by Ritter and Morgan Tompkins clinched the set.
Methodist scored the first seven points of the third set. Brittany Ter Meer served up all seven points, including an ace, before a service error gave Guilford a point. The Monarchs built a 9-1 margin and never drew closer than five points. Methodist hit .216 in the set and Ter Meer posted seven of her team-high 14 kills.
An 8-0 spurt midway through the fourth set proved the difference for Guilford. Trailing 11-10, the Quakers reeled off eight points to take open an 18-11 margin. Ritter had seven kills and Tompkins added four for Guilford in the final set. Eucker notched 14 of her assists.
Ritter, Tompkins (10 kills, 12 digs) and Eucker each posted double-doubles for Guilford. Cydney Scott contributed 13 digs and McKinley Durham had 11 on the back row. Ritter also served up four of Guilford’s six aces and added three blocks.
Ter Meer’s 14 kills and three aces led Methodist. Megan Andrews added eight putaways, plus a team-high 15 digs. Setter Lili Henry had 33 assists and 10 digs.
Coach Emily Gann’s Quakers play in a weekend tournament hosted by Brevard College this Friday (9/7) and Saturday (9/8).