CHARLESTON, S.C. – The App State volleyball team posted a pair of five-set victories over College of Charleston (3-2 (18-25, 22-25, 25-23, 25-21, 15-7)) and Eastern Kentucky (3-2 (19-25, 25-21, 15-25, 25-18, 16-14)) in Charleston on Saturday. The weekend was highlighted by a career milestone from redshirt senior
Addison Heidemann as well as a trio of Mountaineers landing on the C of C Classic's All-Tournament team. Closing out competition at the C of C Classic, the Mountaineers will enter their home opener against Elon on Tuesday with a 3-0 record.
"This was a hard-fought start to our season, especially opening with wins against two conference champions from last season. The confidence that we will take from this will serve us well with our goals for this season and beyond," said head coach
Chad Sutton. "The maturity this team showed to battle through adversity and be intentional in their choices is a very positive sign for what seems to be limitless possibilities. I'm excited for what's to come and love this group."
Senior
Maya Winterhoff and sophomores
Lou Johnson and
MeMe Davis earned spots on the C of C Classic All-Tournament for their efforts on the weekend. The trio started all three of the tournaments' matches and appeared in all 13 sets for the Mountaineers. Winterhoff earned the distinction of Tournament MVP after totaling 37 kills on the weekend, averaging 2.85 per set, with a hitting percentage of .456. She also made 12 blocks (three solo, nine assists). Johnson made 24 kills with a hitting percentage of .419 and totaled six blocks (two solo, four assists). Davis tallied 49 digs, averaging 3.77 per set, and served up six aces. She also made seven assists and two kills on the weekend.
App State 3, College of Charleston 2
Saturday's morning match against the Cougars was highlighted by a career milestone from Heidemann, who surpassed 1,000 collegiate career assists. She made a team-high 56 assists as well as seven digs, four blocks, three kills, and one ace. Four Mountaineers recorded double-figure kills, led by Winterhoff, who slammed down 17 with a clip of .560. Winterhoff also led the team in blocks, totaling six (two solo, four assists). Fellow senior
Ali Morris and sophomore
Bella Hutchens matched with 15 kills apiece, followed by Johnson who made 10 kills. Davis tallied a team-high 20 digs.
The Mountaineers and Cougars tied on nine occasions and swapped the lead five times in the first set, but College of Charleston found momentum with a 5-0 run to take the set, 25-18. In the second set, App State and C of C tied 11 times and swapped the lead twice. The Black and Gold managed to meet the Cougars at 20 all with a kill from redshirt sophomore
Delanie Grevengoed, but the Cougars answered with a 4-0 run. Despite holding the Cougars to two set points, College of Charleston took the second set 25-22.
The Mountaineers fought through a tight third set, tying twice and trading the lead twice. Hutchens opened the set with a kill before C of C took a steady lead. App State kept pace with the Cougars and managed to edge ahead, 23-21, with a 4-0 run built off back-to-back kills from Morris, an ace from Davis, and a kill from Winterhoff. A Cougar attack error brought App State to set point and a kill from Winterhoff secured the set for the Mountaineers, 25-23.
Despite five ties and two lead changes early in the fourth set, App State broke a 16-16 tie with a kill from Morris and a block from the duo of Winterhoff and Hutchens. The Mountaineers built off a kill from Winterhoff, a pair of consecutive kills from Hutchens, and a Heidemann ace to take a 22-18 lead. With a pair of kills from Johnson, App State reached set point (24-20). The Cougars managed to hold App State to one set point, but Morris capped the set with a kill (25-21).
App State commanded the fifth set, defeating the Cougars, 15-7 to capture the match 3-2. The Mountaineers held the Cougars to a hitting percentage of .056, while hitting .421 during the final set. The Mountaineers opened with a 2-0 lead as Morris made a kill, which was followed by a Cougar error. App State broke a 4-4 tie with an 8-1 run that featured a pair of Winterhoff kills, a pair of Hutchens kills, a pair of Winterhoff aces, and a block from the duo of Winterhoff and Heidemann. Davis made a kill to extend App State's lead to 13-7. Back-to-back kills from Johnson sealed the set, 15-7, and clinched the match 3-2, for the Mountaineers.
App State 3, Eastern Kentucky 2
Senior
Keionna Mackey played a key role in the Mountaineers' gritty afternoon victory against Eastern Kentucky. Mackey led the Mountaineers in kills (13) and served up four of the Mountaineers' eight aces. Winterhoff and Morris also contributed double-figure kills. Heidemann and junior
Maria Contreras combined for 37 of App State's 46 assists. For a third consecutive match, Davis led the Black and Gold with 17 digs and was followed by freshman
Bella Dafforn, who made a career-high 11 digs. The Mountaineers led EKU in aces (8-3) and blocks (13-10).
App State steadily chipped away at EKU's early lead in the first set, managing to knot the score thrice, but it wasn't enough as the Colonels found late momentum and broke an 18-18 tie with a 7-1 run to take the set, 25-19.
The Mountaineers battled through a tight second set, tying the score on 12 occasions with the Colonels. After the Colonels took a 12-8 edge with a 6-0 run, App State answered with a 4-0 run that tied things up at 12 all. Building off kills from Grevengoed and Winterhoff, a block from the duo of Winterhoff and Morris, an ace from Dafforn, and a solo block from Contreras, App State caught up with EKU at 17 all. Mackey slammed down five kills and made a solo block to clinch the set for the Black and Gold, 25-21.
EKU maintained a steady lead in the third set. Despite App State's efforts, EKU reached set point with a late 4-0 run. A kill from Johnson held the Colonels at set point, but it wasn't enough as EKU took the set, 25-15.
App State opened the fourth set with a kill from Hutchens and an ace from Mackey. The Mountaineers established an 11-2 lead with an impressive 8-0 run that included kills from Winterhoff, Davis, and Morris, a block from the duo of Morris and Winterhoff, and solo blocks from Winterhoff and Contreras. The Black and Gold held the lead for the duration of the set, never allowing a tie. As EKU narrowed the deficit to 22-18 with a 4-0 run, Mackey locked in, making a kill and serving back-to-back aces to take the set, 25-18, for App State.
In the fifth and final set, EKU jumped to an early 4-0 lead. The Mountaineers patiently chipped away at the deficit, narrowing it to 10-9 after kills from Mackey, Winterhoff, a block from Johnson and Mackey, and a solo block from Johnson. Kills from Johnson and Morris, in addition to a Colonel error, knotted the score at 12 all. The momentum shifted in App State's favor as kills from Winterhoff and Morris pushed the Mountaineers ahead, 14-13. EKU managed to tie the score at 14-14, but a pair of Colonel errors sealed the set (16-14) and win (3-2), for App State.
Looking Ahead
The Mountaineers return to Boone for their home opener against Elon on Tuesday. First serve is slated for 6 p.m. Fans are encouraged to pack Holmes and there will be a free t-shirt giveaway for all fans as well as free food for students. The match will also be available to stream on ESPN+.
CofC Classic All-Tournament Team
MVP Maya Winterhoff - App State
MeMe Davis - App State
Lou Johnson - App State
AG Hynes - EKU
Addison Burke - EKU
Aubri Martin - Mercer
Caroline Noonan - Charleston
