Berea, Ky. — Tarryn Woodall recorded 21 kills, and Maggie Joy Tomlin handed out 40 assists and served a season-high nine aces as Belhaven University defeated Berea in four sets Friday night at the Seabury Center.
The Blazers dropped the first set but controlled the final three to earn the 19-25, 25-19, 25-19, 25-10 victory. Belhaven improved to 5-7 on the season and has won five of its last seven matches.
The opening set featured nine ties and five lead changes before Berea pulled away with seven unanswered points after a 14-14 tie. Berea held Belhaven to a .000 hitting percentage and took the set 25-19.
In the second set, Berea built an early 4-0 lead and maintained a 13-10 advantage. Belhaven responded with an eight-point run behind Angel Edwards’ serve, including three aces. Megan LaCour contributed three kills during the run, and Woodall ended the set with a kill to tie the match at one set apiece.
The third set saw Belhaven rally from a 14-10 deficit. Woodall started a six-point run with a kill, and Laila Gauthier added two kills during the surge to give the Blazers a 16-14 lead. Berea pulled within one at 20-19, but Belhaven scored the final five points, capped by another Woodall kill, to take control of the match.
Belhaven dominated the fourth set, jumping out to a 14-3 lead after a nine-point serving streak from Tomlin, who recorded five aces in the frame. Woodall contributed three kills, and the team finished with a .407 hitting percentage. Tomlin ended the match with her sixth ace as Belhaven won 25-10.
Woodall’s 21 kills came on a .341 hitting percentage, marking her third 20-kill performance of the season. Gauthier added 11 kills and 13 digs, while LaCour contributed nine kills and 13 digs. Tomlin’s 40 assists and nine aces complemented her three kills and seven digs. Kayla Robinson led all players with 26 digs, her third match with at least 25 digs in the last four contests. Edwards added nine digs and three aces.
Belhaven finished with 49 kills, 47 assists, 12 aces and 69 digs. The team hit .276 over the final three sets and limited Berea to a .044 hitting percentage for the match. The Blazers return to conference play Saturday against Asbury at 11 a.m. CT and Spalding at 1 p.m. CT in Wilmore, Kentucky.
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