DEMOREST, Ga. - Asbury volleyball (6-3, 2-0 CCS) put together a perfect Saturday in Demorest, Ga., sweeping Piedmont (6-4,0-1 CCS) and Toccoa Falls (0-2) in back-to-back matches.
The Eagles opened the day with a 3-0 conference victory over Piedmont, taking the match 26-24, 25-18, 25-13. AU followed with another straight-set victory against Toccoa Falls, 25-14, 25-13, 25-15.
Asbury combined for 88 kills across the two matches, hitting .256 against Piedmont before producing an impressive .386 attacking percentage against Toccoa Falls. The Eagles also collected 16 service aces between the two victories.
Asbury 3, Piedmont 0
Asbury started the afternoon with a hard-fought opening set against Piedmont. The Eagles trailed 24-23 late before taking the final three points. Sophie Glushchak delivered back-to-back kills to finish the comeback and give AU a 26-24 first-set victory.
AU carried the momentum into the second, jumping ahead 6-3 and later stretching its advantage to 14-7. Piedmont pulled within four at 16-12, but Asbury maintained control down the stretch and closed the set 25-18.
The Eagles put together their strongest offensive set in the third, attacking at a .333 clip with 16 kills and just three errors. A 9-1 AU run turned a 3-3 score into a commanding 12-3 advantage. Asbury never looked back, finishing the sweep with a 25-13 set-three win.
Isabelle VandeSchraaf led the AU attack with 13 kills on a .300 hitting percentage while adding eight digs. Glushchak followed with eight kills, while Julia Wright recorded seven kills on .385 hitting. Aliah Jones added seven kills on a .429 percentage with two solo blocks and a block assist.
Sara Beth Gray totaled 18 assists and 12 digs, Katelyn Chapman added 14 assists, and Lilly Cowing led the Eagles with 14 digs. Asbury finished with 45 kills compared to Piedmont's 24 and held the Lions to a .059 hitting percentage.
Asbury 3, Toccoa Falls 0
AU hit. 471 in the opening set, putting down 17 kills with only one attacking error. With the Eagles leading 5-4, a six-point run pushed the margin to 11-4. Asbury remained comfortably in front from there before Aliah Jones delivered the final kill of a 25-14 win.
Toccoa Falls remained within striking distance early in the second set before Asbury broke the match open. With AU ahead 12-10, Ashlynn Smith helped spark a 10-0 Eagle run, collecting three service aces during the stretch as Asbury moved ahead 22-10. The Eagles took the frame 25-13.
Asbury pulled away again in the third. After taking a 7-4 advantage, AU extended the lead to 12-4 and never surrendered control. Alana Creasey delivered the match-clinching kill for the 25-15 win and Asbury's second sweep of the afternoon.
Megan Schelling paced the Eagle offense with 11 kills and a .304 hitting percentage. Wright was nearly perfect offensively, recording five kills without an error on seven attacks for a .714 percentage. Creasey added four kills on six swings (.667), while Emma Dean tallied three kills on five attempts (.600).
Smith provided a major boost from the service line with five aces, helping Asbury finish with 12 as a team. Gray distributed 21 assists and added nine digs, while Cowing led the defense with 12 digs.
The AU attack finished the match with 43 kills and only nine errors on 88 attempts for a .386 hitting percentage, while holding Toccoa Falls to .081.
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Isabelle VandeSchraaf | 18 K, 9 D
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Megan Schelling | 16 K
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Sophie Glushchak | 12 K
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Sara Beth Gray | 39 AST, 21 D, 2 SA
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Lilly Cowing | 26 D
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Ashlynn Smith | 6 SA
The ladies will travel to CCS foe Covenant on Tues., Sept 23, taking on the Scots at 6 PM in Lookout Mountain, Ga.
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