GAFFNEY, S.C. – Senior Madysen Williams (Antioch, Tenn.) posted a double-double with 13 kills and 11 digs, but the Limestone University women's volleyball team would suffer its first home loss of the 2021 campaign with a 3-0 setback against Mars Hill University on Friday, September 24 at the Timken Center.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Mars Hill 3, Limestone 0
Set Scores: 25-14, 26-24, 25-17
Records: Mars Hill (10-3, 2-2), Limestone (5-4, 2-2)
Location: Timken Center
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
 

• Williams posted a .205 attack percentage while adding a service ace and an assist
• Senior Vanessa Blas (Concord, N.C.) tallied 10 kills and a .185 attack percentage
• Senior Gabby Wessels (Watseka, Ill.) finished with 20 digs and five assists
• Freshman Paige Gardella (Sugar Grove, Ill.) registered 14 assists and seven digs
• Sophomore Malina Harris (Mooresville, N.C.) added 10 assists and seven digs
• Freshman Josie Curran (Westerville, Ohio) chipped in five kills and five digs
• Senior Bailey Carpenter (Lawrenceville, Ga.) logged six digs
• As a team, the Saints finished with a .107 attack percentage while Mars Hill was at .240

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Set
 
Gardella got things started with an ace on the first serve of the night before attacks from Curran and Williams gave the Saints an early 6-4 edge. A massive kill by Blas would make it 7-5 for the Blue and Gold, but the Lions countered with nine straight to double up Limestone, 14-7, midway through the first.
 
Blas broke the run with a kill off an assist from junior Abbey Baker (York, S.C.) with a kill, cutting the margin to 14-9, but Mars Hill continued to control the opening set with a 5-0 spurt to push the margin to 19-9. Curran and Williams would both get kills late, but the Lions pulled away for the 25-14 set decision.   
 
Second Set
 
Attacks from Williams, Curran and Blas allowed Limestone to split the first 12 points of the second before the Lions used two quick points to move on top, 8-6. The Saints answered with a 3-0 surge, capped by a nice touch from senior Madeline Yeager (Sacramento, Calif.), but Mars Hill would regain the lead, 12-9, a few moments later. Limestone kept it close though as kill and an ace from Williams powered a 5-2 run.
 
Tied at 14, the teams continued the back-and-forth before a pair of blasts from Blas and two kills by Williams put the Saints in front, 18-17, late. The Lions capitalized on errors to move back in front, 20-18, but Limestone responded with a 3-2 stretch to again close the gap to 22-21 on kills by Williams and Blas.
 
The Blue and Gold made a run to even things up, tying the set at 24-all as a brilliant save by junior Jordan Bowen (Omaha, Neb.) and a resulting kill from senior Madyson Lousignont (Las Vegas, Nev.) capped a 3-0 run, but Mars Hill would get the final two points to take set two, 26-24, to go with a 2-0 match lead.
 
Third Set
 
Mars Hill jumped out to leads of 2-0 and 4-1 before an error and a kill from Blas cut the Limestone deficit to 5-3 in the early going. The Lions would then use a 5-2 span to grab a 10-5 cushion, but a kill from Bowen and consecutive attacks by Williams fueled a 4-0 jaunt as the Blue and Gold pulled to within 10-9.
 
That would be the closest things would get, however, as the visitors powered ahead behind a 10-5 stretch to make it 20-14 in the late going. Mars Hill completed the sweep a couple minutes later with a 25-17 win.   
 
TURNING POINT
 
Limestone got off to a good start on the night, but a 9-0 Mars Hill run would put the visitors firmly in control of the opening set. The Saints and Lions battled back-and-forth in the second frame with the Blue and Gold tying things up at 24, but the visitors took the win before completing the sweep in straight sets.
 
NOTABLES
 

• Friday's loss snapped a five-game home win streak that dated back to the spring 2021 season
• Limestone and Mars Hill squared off for the first time since the 2009 season
• The Saints had a negative hitting percentage in the first set, but swatted .275 in the second
• Mars Hill registered seven blocks compared to just one for Limestone
• The Blue and Gold had six blocking errors

 
UP NEXT
 
Limestone will need to have a short memory as it welcomes Lenoir-Rhyne University in a SAC matchup on Homecoming Saturday. First serve is set for 2 p.m. at the Timken Center.