ANDERSON, S.C. – With junior setter Madison Roy and freshman Tabitha Wheeler each posting double-doubles, the Anderson volleyball team wrapped up its season-opening four-match homestand by sweeping Mars Hill, 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 27-25) Tuesday night at the Abney Athletic Center.

"Our offense was doing some good things tonight and the balance was there," said Anderson head coach Todd Hay. "Maddie found a good connection with the pin hitters (Regan, Tabitha and Maya) and they carried us. I was also pleased with some of the defensive effort we gave from our back row. The kids weren't perfect but they were going hard for every ball. That's what your program needs to beat good teams. Now we look forward to going out on the road for the next three."

Anderson improved to 2-2 on the season with its second straight win, while handing the Lions their first loss of the season. Mars Hill slipped to 2-1 after stumbling for the first time.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Roy notched her second straight double-double with 47 assists and 10 digs, while Wheeler added her first double-double of the campaign behind 15 kills and 14 digs. The Greenville native hit .345 on the night and also posted a pair of aces. Senior Regan Duty added 12 kills on the strength of a .579 hitting percentage, with junior outside hitter Maya Learmonth notching 12 kills. Sophomore Alexandra Petrilli came up with 11 digs and handed out five assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
Led by Wheeler's seven kills and junior middle blocker Noelle Knutsen's five kills, the Trojans overcame an early deficit to grab a 9-7 lead, only to see Mars Hill respond with five straight points and force a timeout.

The Lions maintained the margin following the break and pushed out to an 18-14 lead, before AU reeled off five straight points as part of a 9-2 outburst to take a lead it would not relinquish. Wheeler led the comeback with three kills, while Learmonth and Knutsen added two kills apiece during the surge.

After the Trojans reached set point, at 24-20, Mars Hill score two straight, but Learmonth closed the door with a kill.

Second Set
Duty and Wheeler helped fuel the offensive attack with four kills apiece, while Learmonth and junior Neely Shugart each posted three apiece, as AU posted a .350 hitting percentage.

The Trojans broke away from an early 8-7 lead by going on an impressive 12-2 run behind four kills from Duty and two apiece from Wheeler and Shugart. After falling behind by double digits, Mars Hill got within seven points twice but could get no closer down the stretch.

Third Set
Duty added seven kills in the decisive third frame, while Learmonth tallied five more kills.

After the Lions doubled up Anderson, 10-5, Mars Hill held the advantage until the Trojans drew even, at 17 apiece, on a block by Knutsen before MHU briefly regained the lead. With neither team able to build more than a two-point edge in the final moments and the score deadlocked at 23-23, the Lions reached set point before AU rallied and reached set point on back-to-back kills from Duty. Following a kill by MHU's Grace Lilly, Duty knocked down a kill and an error by the Lions sealed the win.

STAT OF THE NIGHT
Mars Hill had not lost a set in its first two matches, having swept both Lenoir-Rhyne and UVA Wise to open the season.

NOTABLES
• The Trojans have hit better than .300 in two straight matches.

UP NEXT
Anderson opens a three-match road swing, beginning at Limestone, Friday night. First-serve vs. the Saints in Gaffney is slated for 7 p.m.