Fredericksburg, VA – With just two games remaining in the regular season, the Regent University Women's Volleyball team was back on the road Tuesday night to face fellow Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference member the University of Mary Washington. This would be the first time the two teams have met on the court, and both were preparing for the upcoming Conference Tournament. However, the Royals were not thinking that far ahead as they were looking to get a statement win over a very good Eagles team.
Sophomore Alaina Braun-Duin (Stephens City, VA) started the first set off controlling the net, while Junior Erin Saunders (Danville, VA) showed her power and after a number of rallies the score was tied 11-11. Fellow Freshmen Rylee Stewart (Newport News, VA) and Keira Anderson (Leland, NC) were able to handle the Mary Washington attack, which allowed Senior Eliana Winn (Albuquerque, NM) to keep the score even with a kill. Saunders would then step up to the service line and deliver three straight aces to give Regent the lead. The final points were back-and-forth but unfortunately Regent fell in the set 25-23.
The Royals fell behind early in the second set but after a kill by Winn, they began to settle in. However, the Eagles would go on a run until Winn scored on a block to get Regent back to the service line and then they began to go on their own run behind kills from Saunders and Winn. Stewart was able to serve up an ace and suddenly Regent had pulled to within five points. They would then pull to within two points, after a block by Freshman Emma Kristiansen (Sparta, NJ), forcing Mary Washington to call a timeout. Saunders and Winn kept the score close with kills, but the Royals fell 25-21.
Saunders showed her power as the third set began scoring on a strong kill. That was followed by a block and then a kill by Braun-Duin to keep Regent within one point early on. The deficit would increase to four points, but Stewart was able to set up Kristiansen for a kill and then Stewart delivered a kill of her to grab the momentum. Two straight service aces by Saunders gave Regent their first lead, forcing the Eagles to call a timeout. Saunders would do it again with a service ace, and a few points later they were suddenly ahead 18-15. Back-to-back kills by Braun-Duin increased the lead and allowed the Royals to earn the set win 25-22.
Regent saw themselves down by five points to start the fourth set as Mary Washington was able to control the scoring. Eventually they settled down as Anderson delivered a service ace to cut into the lead and then Winn cut into it again with a kill from the left side. Unfortunately, the Royals could not mount a comeback and would fall by a final score of 3-1 (25-13).
Saunders finished with 10 kills, 16 digs and 6 aces, while Braun-Duin had 12 kills and 2 blocks. In addition, Stewart dished out 20 assists and had 3 service aces.
Regent will be back in action Saturday, November 8th when they host Johnson & Wales University on Senior Day. First serve is scheduled for 2:00pm.
