DANVILLE, Va. - The Guilford College volleyball team (2-0, 0-0 ODAC) stormed into the season with a 3-1 (25-22, 25-16, 19-25, 25-15) win over McMurry University (1-1, 0-0 ASC before sweeping William Peace University (1-1, 0-0 USA South), 3-0 (25-17, 25-20, 25-19) on Friday, at the E. Stuart James Grant Center.
Natalie Moore (Talbott, Tenn.) poured in a total of 32 points for the day, fueling a team effort that excelled from start to finish on both ends.
GAME ONE
Starting strong, Guilford earned a 3-1 win over McMurry. Moore paced the Quakers with a season-opening double-double with 16 kills, 11 digs, and three block assists for 21.5 points.
Chrisbel Alcantara (San Juan, Puerto Rico) followed with 11 kills swinging .281 and two blocks, while
Madison Duvall (Sophia, N.C.) chipped in six kills and a team-best four block assists.
Jillian Mapes (Hodges, S.C.) guided the offense with 31 assists and nine digs. Defensively, libero
Vivian Cavataio (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) and
Zoe Whisnant (Greensboro, N.C.) anchored the back row with 15 and 17 digs respectively while
Amber Chiarolanzio (Deep Gap, N.C.) added 10.
For the War Hawks, Marcette Williams led with 11 kills and three blocks (two assists, one solo) to total 12 points. Layleah Williams-Gibson added eight kills on a .318 hitting percentage, while libero Jalie Miller notched 17 digs.
The Quakers opened the match with a .176 hitting percentage in set one, led by Alcantara's four kills on .444 hitting and Moore's four kills, with Mapes dishing seven assists. A close set, the Quakers pulled away late with a four-point streak at 20-all, ultimately winning 25-22.
In set two, Moore recorded a .375 hitting mark with double-digit points, Alcantara added three kills, and Mapes tallied 10 assists. Whisnant and Cavataio combined for six digs as Guilford closed the set 25-16.
McMurry answered in the third, holding Guilford to .000 hitting.
Kaci Johnson (Winterville, N.C.) provided a spark with a .333 line, but the War Hawks forced a fourth set (19-25) behind Williams (4 kills, .333), Williams-Gibson (four kills), and Rylie Patterson (three kills).
Guilford finished with authority, hitting .343 in the fourth. Duvall delivered four kills at .500, Moore added three kills at .333, and Alcantara and
Haley Pasour (Winterville, N.C.) chipped in late tallies to seal the runaway win, 25-15 for the set and 3-1 for the match.
Behind a .169 team hitting percentage and 39 assists, Guilford capped off its first match of the day with confidence.
GAME TWO
After a quick break, the Quakers took the court again and overpowered William Peace 3–0. Statistical leaders for Guilford were Alcantara with 13 kills, Moore with six kills and nine digs, and Duvall contributing six kills of her own. Mapes led the team in helpers with 32, while Cavataio held down the defense with 10 digs.
For William Peace, Caitlin Bailey led the attack with eight kills, followed by Aubrey Chesson and Maegan Brylski who tallied six apiece, with the latter also contributing 13 digs. Savannah Hairr added three kills with 11 digs, and Gracie Payne recorded 15 digs to lead the team defensively.
Guilford jumped to an early advantage in set one, created by Alcantara's five kills and steady contributions from Moore and Duvall. Johnson added a crucial kill and Guilford closed out the opening set 25-19.
In set two, Alcantara continued her strong performance with five kills on .400 hitting, while Mapes recorded eight assists on .333 hitting. Moore and Duvall provided consistent offensive support, and Chiarolanzio added two kills on .500 hitting with six receptions. Cavataio rounded up four digs and a block, helping Guilford wrap up the set 25-18.
In the deciding set, Guilford maintained momentum with a balanced and efficient attack. Alcantara tallied three kills on .286 hitting, Johnson added four kills on .333, and Duvall contributed three kills on .600 hitting. Mapes orchestrated the offense with 13 assists on .419 hitting. Cavataio recorded four digs and a block, and Chiarolanzio added a kill on .500 hitting. Guilford closed out the set 25-17, completing a 3-0 sweep.
The Quakers will return to action tomorrow, August 30th, facing Methodist University (Game One) and Roanoke College (Game Two) in Averett, Va.
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