Trio of Double-Digit Scorers Power Volleyball to Four-Set Victory Over Roanoke
Kaci Jonshon & Quakers clinch critical second set to edge Maroons
from Reagan Hune, Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant
Kaci Johnson (Winterville, N.C.), who racked up 16.5 points on a .379 clip, Chrisbel Alcantara (San Juan, P.R.) with 13.0 points, and Natalie Moore (Talbott, Tenn.) with a double-double performance and 14.5 points paved the way as the Guilford College volleyball team claimed victory over Roanoke College, 3-1 (20-25, 31-29, 25-16, 25-19) on Tuesday night at the Cregger Center.
The Quakers climb to a 12-11 record, 6-4 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) while the Maroons walk away at 14-9, 5-6 in the ODAC.
Star players for the away team were Kaci Johnson with 15 kills, Alcantara with a baker’s dozen kills, and Moore with a kill/dig double-double of 11 and 14, respectively. Maddi Page (Jonesboro, Ga.) was just four shy from her season-high in assists in a four-set match with 44, as Madison Bozarth (Greensboro, N.C.) orchestrated the Quaker defense with team-high 21 digs paired with six assists.
Key factors for the home team were Rylee Mayer with the game high of 19 kills, Peyton Kirchner with 13 kills, the team-high for assists for the Maroons going to Kylee Draper at 27 paired with 16 digs, and Teagan Hubble with game-high 23 digs.
Set one was a game of runs. At the start, Guilford and Roanoke were evenly matched as the score tottered back-and-forth with the help of Madison Duvall (Sophia, N.C.), who finished the night with six kills, four assisted blocks, and eight points, and Moore. Mayer was on a roll the entire set finishing with seven kills in the first set. Vanessa Johnson (Charlotte, N.C.), who ended with 11.0 points, became part of the action as she added two of her seven total kills before the 3-0 burst the Quakers had to close the gap to one point. Duvall made some noise soon after as she got a kill followed by a block assisted by Moore. Kaci Johnson scored right before the Maroons had a 5-1 extension. On the flip, GC dished back a 5-1 run thanks to kills from Moore, Page, and Alcantara. Although Kaci Johnson attempted to keep the Quaker offense alive, Mayer and friends escaped with the set, 25-20.
Kaci Johnson was a shark in the water in set two as she finished the set with six kills. Johnson and Alcantara got the party started with the helpers from Page. A 5-1 advancement was made by the Quakers due to attacking errors from Roanoke and kills from Moore and Johnson & Johnson, making it 9-5. RC rebutted with five-uninterrupted points with the help of Brynlee Burrill and GC attacking errors. It was Bo-Time as Bozarth got an ace, there were Maroon mishaps, and Alcantara and Duvall set the tone with a couple of kills. The 6-1 run from Roanoke temporarily had Guilford on their heels, but it was no match for Moore making the score tied at 25. Mayer continued to lead the charge for RC with seven kills in this set, however, Moore, Duvall, and crucial double-kills from Kaci Johnson topped off the set with a whopping score of 31-29.
The Quakers were riding that high from the previous set as they jumped on the Maroons early 6-2. Johnson & Johnson paved the way for the Quakers to intensify the pressure, with Page and Alcantara delivering kills to bring the score to 14-8. Peyton Kirchner tried to rally her squad towards mid-set, but four-unanswered points followed from GC to make it 18-10. The group effort from Roanoke was evident, but Guilford made the most of their mistakes and Vanessa Johnson and Moore helped them late. Key kills from Moore and Alcantara secured the set win, 25-16.
In set four, Alcantara, Page, Johnson & Johnson, and Moore were the sparks Guilford needed to finish out the match. They inspired GC’s next seven-consecutive points due to contributions from Alcantara and Moore’s ace along with attacking errors. Kayleigh Eason and Mayer tried to get the Maroons on board, but two continuous kills from Kaci Johnson, followed by a key kill from Moore made it 18-10. RC then went on a 7-2 run thanks to Kaci Morrison, Eason, and triple back-to-back kills from Haley Torbert. Two critical kills from Alcantara inspired a Page ace, a Vanessa Johnson kill, and a service ace to seal the deal with a score of 25-19 and final match score of 3-1, Quakers.
Guilford is back home for one last time this season as it is Senior Night and will face the Lynchburg Hornets on Friday, November 1st starting at 6:30pm.