Maroons Win Finale In Five

The Basics

Score: Roanoke 2, Southern Virginia 2 (23-25, 25-22, 20-25, 26-24, 16-14)
Records: Roanoke 14-14 | SVU 15-12
Location: Buena Vista, Va.

The Lead: The Maroons traveled to Southern Virginia for their final regular season match of the season. After falling behind, 2-1, RC would win the next two sets to take the tightly contested match.

How it Happened:

• RC raced out to a sizable lead in the opening frame, 13-8. The Knights would close the gap and after a timeout would score five straight to secure the lead, 23-22. Parker Moody would tie it up with a kill, but the home team would score the final two points to take the set.
• The second game would see the score tied five different times in the early stages. SVU would take five of the next six to seize control. However, the Maroons would storm back to tie the score at 19-19. Linsey Bailey would record kills on three of the next four points for RC to put them within a point of tying the match. A service error by the Knights would give Roanoke the game.
• The Knights would break open a tightly contest third set to secure a six, point advantage late. An Olivia Newman service ace and three straight SVU hitting errors would allow Roanoke to pull to within two, 20-18. The Maroons would get no closer as SVU closed out the set with three consecutive points to take a 2-1 edge.
• SVU looked like they were going to finish off the Maroons in the fourth set when they opened with an 8-3 advantage. However, Roanoke would rally and after a pair of Knight miscues, take a 12 -11 lead. RC pushed their advantage to as many as five before a Southern Va. run would close the gap completely, 21-21. After a long rally, the Knights would win the point and move to match point but the serve went long and it was tied again at 24-24. After a SVU hitting error, Tori Clinevell registered her first kill of the night to knot the match at 2-2.
• Trailing 4-6, the Maroons would score four straight to take an 8-6 lead into the changeover. After a questionable call at the net, the Knights would erase the deficit to take a 10-9 edge. A Bailey kill and Logan Pasley service ace would force a SVU timeout. Back-to-back points by the Knights would lead the Maroons to take a timeout of their own. A ball handling error would tie the score and after a hitting error, Roanoke would enjoy match point. Southern Virginia would stave off the first match point. The Maroons would take the next point on a Moody kill and after one final hitting error by the Knights, RC would take the set, 16-14, and the match, 3-2.
• Bailey would lead with 16 kills while Moody would add 13. Newman and Pasley would assist on 37 of RC's 48 kills with Kennedy Clemmer (13) leading a quartet of Maroons with double digit digs.

Up next: Roanoke will open up the 2019 ODAC Volleyball Championships with a quarterfinal match on Wednesday.