GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Guilford College volleyball team (7-18, 3-7 ODAC) battled, but ultimately fell in straight sets to Bridgewater College (18-2, 7-0 ODAC), Friday evening at the Ragan-Brown FieldHouse, 25-16, 25-12, 25-14.
Bridgewater held the advantage in several statistical categories, finishing with 42 kills to Guilford's 22. The Eagles also 38 assists, 10 service aces and 39 digs, compared to 20 assists, two aces and 28 digs for the Quakers. Guilford played strong net defense, finishing with three team blocks, edging Bridgewater's two.
Olivia Roberts (Claremont, Calif.) led the Quakers offensively with seven kills, while Chrisbel Alcántara (San Juan, Puerto Rico) and Jayanna Spurgeon (Duncan, S.C.) contributed four kills apiece. Jillian Mapes (Hodges, S.C.) paced the offense with 16 assists and added five digs. Defensively, Sheryangelis Cay Barbosa (Juncos, Puerto Rico) led Guilford with 10 digs, while Kyndis Myers (Tacoma, Wash.) recorded two block assists.
Bridgewater's Reagan Stoop led all players with 11 kills, while Agnes Alford added 10 kills on an efficient .471 hitting percentage. Lindsay Kelley distributed 30 assists, and Claire Griffith paced the Eagles with 12 digs while contributing seven kills and three service aces.
Guilford opened the match with a kill from Spurgeon off an assist from Mapes and took an early 4-1 lead, with Olivia Roberts (Huntersville, N.C.) and Spurgeon teaming up for a block. Bridgewater responded with a scoring run to take a 10-5 advantage and continued to find success offensively behind Stoop and Griffith. The Quakers received kills from Thorne and Roberts but could not overcome the Eagles' momentum, falling 25-16.
Bridgewater carried its momentum into the second set, opening with a scoring run to take a 5-1 lead before extending the advantage to 9-2 with consecutive service aces from Molly Gardner. Guilford looked to respond through kills from Alcántara and Mapes, while Vivian Cavataio (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) added a service ace. However, the Eagles maintained control behind their attacking efficiency and service pressure, taking the set 25-12.
Guilford showed early fight in the third set, opening with three consecutive points behind kills from Roberts, Myers and Chrisbel Alcántara. The Quakers kept pace through the opening exchanges, but Bridgewater gradually pulled away behind its offensive production and service pressure, with Reagan Stoop and Griffith contributing key points. Guilford continued to battle at the net but could not close the gap, as the Eagles secured the match with a 25-14 third-set victory.
Guilford returns to Ragan-Brown Field House on Saturday, October 24, to host Washington and Lee University in another ODAC matchup, celebrating their senior day. First serve is scheduled for noon.
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