Takoma Park, MD – Five years ago, an up-and-coming Assistant Coach was hired at a small unknown program in Virginia Beach. Katelyn Totherow had a vision of what she wanted her program to look like, but she knew it would take time. However, what Totherow didn't anticipate was how quickly the Regent University Women's Volleyball team would become the most successful program at the school and the number of awards it would collect along the way. Fast forward to today and Coach Totherow has reached another milestone as her team helped her earn her 50th career win as a Head Coach by defeating Washington Adventist University, 3-0.
The Shock jumped out to a quick two-point lead in the first set, but the Royals battled back and grabbed the advantage after a kill by Freshman Annalise Todd (Raleigh, NC). That advantage increased when Freshman Emma Kristiansen (Sparts, NJ) stepped up and delivered a strong kill of her own. Eventually the score would even up again and then change hands on a few occasions. Junior Erin Saunders (Danville, VA) gave Regent some momentum with a kill, to help them once again go out in front. She then stepped up to the service line and after a block by Senior Eliana Winn (Albuquerque, NM) Washington Adventist called a timeout with the Royals leading 14-9. After another Kristiansen kill, Freshman Keira Anderson (Leland, NC) was able to score points from the service line and after two straight Saunders kills, Regent won the set 25-15.
Saunders began the second set with a cross-court kill and then followed that up with a score from the service line. Anderson would do the same, as she delivered a service ace to take the early advantage, 4-2. Sophomore Alaina Braun-Duin (Stephens City, VA) and Freshman Daily Davis (Bristow, VA) combined for a kill and a service ace, which was followed by a kill from Kristiansen to increase the lead to five points. Winn kept the scoring going with two blocks, while Saunders continued to deliver kills and service points. Davis finished things off with a service ace to give the Royals the set win, 25-12.
The third set began with a service ace by Freshman Rylee Stewart (Newport News, VA) and a few points later Winn put the ball away with a block. Braun-Duin, Saunders, Peltonen and Anderson kept the momentum going with kills and service points to extend their lead to 10-7. Kristiansen would then step to the service for two straight points, causing the Shock to call a timeout. As the scoring continued, Saunders delivered more kills, while Winn delivered two additional blocks and suddenly Regent began to pull away for the win by a final score of 3-0 (25-14).
Saunders finished with 10 kills and Winn recorded 5 total blocks. In addition, Anderson and Braun-Duin each had 10 digs, while Stewart dished out 15 assists.
The Royals will stay in DC and be back in action Saturday, November 1st when compete in a tri-match with Trinity Washington University and Mid-Atlantic Christian University. First serve is scheduled for 11:00am.
