Rocky Mount, NC - After a strong opening day at the N.C. Wesleyan Invitational, the Regent University Women's Volleyball team returned to the court for Day Two where they would face Mount Aloysius College in the semifinals and then Randolph College in the finals. The Royals would make a statement on Saturday, ending the day with a second-place finish, allowing their freshmen to gain valuable playing experience against strong ODAC, USA South and AMCC programs.
Semifinals
Regent came out strong in the opening set, as Junior Brooklynn Delane (Colonial Beach, VA) recorded an early kill before Freshman Sarah Cutler (Hampstead, NC) helped give the Royals a 6-2 advantage with a kill of her own. The Mounties attempted to battle back, but Freshman Claire Keefer (Winchester, VA) took over offensively, recording seven kills in the set to help Regent maintain control. Cutler eventually put the set away with a kill, giving the Royals a 25-22 victory.
Regent found themselves trailing 7-4 early in the second set but quickly responded with a six-point run to take a 10-7 lead. From there, the Royals began to take control. Sophomore Kiera Anderson (Leland, NC) started another big run with a kill, Freshman Mia Wilson (Chesterfield, VA) followed with one of her own, and Keefer continued her strong performance with three more kills. Sophomore Rylee Stewart (Newport News, VA) assisted on all five points as Regent stretched its advantage to 20-12. The Royals never looked back, allowing just one more point and cruising to a 25-13 second-set victory.
Keefer picked up right where she left off in the third, accounting for Regent's first three points. Mount Aloysius kept things close, eventually tying the set at 20-20, but the Royals delivered when it mattered most. Stewart connected with Keefer for four consecutive kills down the stretch, helping Regent close out the set and complete the three-set sweep.
Keefer led the way offensively with an outstanding 23 kills and 24.5 points, while Freshman Mykenah Antenore (San Diego, CA) anchored the defense with 18 digs. Stewart continued to set up the Regent attack throughout the match, finishing with 31 assists.
Championship
The Royals came out firing in the opening set and quickly established control. Regent used a balanced attack and strong defensive play to build its advantage before pulling away for a convincing 25-14 victory. The Royals recorded 11 kills in the opening frame while holding Randolph to a negative hitting percentage.
Regent carried that momentum into the second set, racing out to an early 10-0 advantage behind the serving of Anderson. The Royals continued to hold the lead deep into the set, but Randolph battled its way back and eventually tied the score at 22-22. Regent regained a 23-22 advantage before the Wildcats scored the final three points to narrowly take the set, 25-23.
The third set turned into the most competitive stretch of the night. Regent and Randolph traded points throughout the frame, with neither side willing to give ground. The Royals held a 24-21 advantage before Randolph rallied to extend the set. From there, the teams exchanged points through several ties, including at 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30. Randolph eventually escaped with a 32-30 victory to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
Randolph carried the momentum into the fourth, but the Royals continued to battle before the Wildcats eventually closed out the match with a 25-20 win
Keefer once again led the Regent attack with an outstanding all-around performance, recording a match-high 21 kills to go along with 18 digs and two service aces. Cutler added eight kills, whileWilson finished with six kills and two blocks.
Stewart continued to direct the Royals' offense, finishing with 37 assists, 12 digs and four kills, while Antenore led Regent defensively with 27 digs. Anderson also made an impact with 19 digs and two service aces. Regent finished the match with 99 digs, 48 kills and seven service aces as a team.
The Royals will have a break until September 15th, where they will make a trip back down to North Carolina to face Mid-Atlantic Christian University. First serve is scheduled for 7:00 PM.
