BOONE, N.C. – The App State volleyball team split its first day at the Mountaineer Classic, posting an Education Day victory over ETSU, 3-2 (16-25, 25-20, 25-27, 25-15, 15-13) in the morning before falling short in three tight sets (27-29, 20-25, 20-25) to Kennesaw State in the nightcap on Friday.
App State 3, ETSU 2
In front of an Education Day crowd of 1,288 fans and local elementary school students, junior
Maya Winterhoff and freshman
Maddie Smith led the team with 15 kills apiece. Winterhoff, who recorded a hitting percentage of .464, also led the team with four blocks, while Smith came within two of a double-double with eight digs. Freshman
Julianna Horta led the team in the assists category, registering 27, while junior Kennady Roper made 10 digs. The Mountaineers recorded 57 kills to ETSU's 52, 55 assists to ETSU's 43, and 45 digs to ETSU's 38.
The match started off rocky in the first set as App State was held to a mere 16 points, but the Mountaineers were resilient, battling through a tight second set. Late in the second set, a 3-0 run that included a Winterhoff kill and a Smith ace, gave the Mountaineers a 17-16 edge. Building off a kill from freshman
Elise Marchal, a trio of kills from senior
Lulu Ambrose and Smith plus an Ambrose ace, the Mountaineers reached set point and took the second set, 25-20.
In the third set, App State came back from a five-point deficit with a 7-0 run to edge past ETSU, 15-13. Late in the set, App State took a 21-19 lead after a 3-0 run that included kills from Winterhoff and Marchal, as well a solo block from Ambrose. ETSU managed a 4-0 scoring run to reach match point (24-22), but the Mountaineers tied things up at 24 all, and at 25 all, before ETSU clinched the set, 27-25.
In the fourth and fifth sets combined, the Mountaineers held ETSU to 13 kills, while making 22 kills on offense. App State took a commanding 9-2 lead in the fourth set and extended the lead to 14-5 with a five-point scoring run. As ETSU struggled to find momentum, the Black and Gold leapt to a 23-12 lead with another 5-0 run that included a block from Winterhoff and Smith and a kill from Winterhoff. A kill from Smith brought the Mountaineers to set point, and an ETSU error sealed the set for the Mountaineers, 25-15.
App State maintained a steady edge over ETSU in the final set until a 4-0 run from the Buccaneers put ETSU ahead 12-11. Smith and Ambrose responded with kills, which were followed by an ETSU error, that helped the Mountaineers to set and match point. The Buccaneers managed to hold App State to one match point before Ambrose slammed down a kill to seal the set, 15-13, and match, 3-2.
Kennesaw State 3, App State 0
Smith led the Mountaineers in digs (13) and kills (8), while Horta recorded her fourth out of five matches as the Mountaineers' assists leader, registering 16. Sophomore
Ava Leahy led the team in blocks, going up for four. App State fell to Kennesaw State by a mere margin of two in the first set and five in the final two sets.
The Mountaineers and Owls fought point-for-point in the first set, with both teams only managing no more than a 4-0 run apiece. Despite the Mountaineers reaching set point first, Kennesaw State tied things up at 24 all. A kill from Leahy tied things up at 26 all, and as KSU took a 27-26 edge, Ambrose tied things up at 27-27, but it wasn't enough as the Owls took the first set 29-27.
In the second set, Winterhoff tied things up early at 6-6 with a kill, but the Owls answered with a 5-0 run to jump ahead, 11-6. App State closed the deficit to two after a four-point run that included a block from Marchal and Leahy, and Ambrose and Leahy. The Mountaineers managed to stick close to the Owls, until Kennesaw State reached set point with a 4-0 scoring run (24-18). Back-to-back kills from Leahy held the Owls at set point, but the Owls took the set, 25-20.
App State established an early 5-2 lead in the third set after a pair of kills from Smith and Marchal and a pair of Owl errors. KSU managed to catch up, tying things at 14 all, before going on a late 5-0 run to take a 19-16 lead. Kills from Smith and Ambrose, in addition to an Owl error brought App State within one (20-19), but Kennesaw State recorded a trio of points to edge ahead and ultimately take the set 25-20, and match 3-0.
Looking Ahead
The Mountaineers will close out action at the Mountaineer Classic with a 3 p.m. match against Gardner-Webb. Saturday will be Selfie Saturday and there will be a phone wallet giveaway at the 3 p.m. match.
Full Mountaineer Classic Schedule & Results
Friday, Sept. 6
App State 3, ETSU 2 | Box Score
Kennesaw State 3, Gardner-Webb 0 |
Box Score
ETSU 3, Gardner-Webb 0 |
Box Score
Kennesaw State 3, App State 0 | Box Score
Saturday, Sept. 7
12 p.m. - ETSU vs. Kennesaw State |
Live Stats |
ESPN+
3 p.m. - App State vs. Gardner-Webb | Live Stats | ESPN+
