WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Greensboro College volleyball (17-4, 7-3 USA South) lost to Salem College (16-5, 7-3 USA South) 3-2 on Wednesday. Greensboro won the first and third sets before Salem (NC) took the final two, with set scores of 25-15, 23-25, 25-17, 22-25 and 9-15.
After Salem (NC) scored first, Greensboro answered with kills from
Larkin Baxley and
Dilynn Norris and moved ahead 5-2 on Baxley's service ace. Salem (NC) pulled within 5-4, but Greensboro followed with
Abigail Leo's kill, two Salem attack errors and
Payton Wright's kill from
Morgan Mayfield to build a 9-4 lead. Greensboro stayed in front through the middle of the set, getting points from Leo,
Skylar Rokov, Wright and Baxley before a Salem service error, a bad set and another Rokov kill made it 17-9. After Salem (NC) got within 21-14, Baxley answered with a kill,
Enjoli Allen added a block, and Norris's kill helped set up a final block by Leo and Baxley to close the set 25-15.
Salem (NC) moved ahead 16-10 in the second set after a stretch that included two Greensboro attack errors and a kill by Tessa Vance. Greensboro began cutting into the deficit with kills from Rokov and
Emory Johnson, and Johnson then served through four straight points to bring the set even at 18-18. After Salem (NC) went back in front,
Payton Wright tied it with a kill and Greensboro took a 20-19 lead on a Salem (NC) attack error, but the teams traded points until Salem (NC) moved ahead 23-21.
Abigail Leo answered with consecutive kills to tie the set at 23-23 before Salem (NC) scored the final two points to take the set 25-23.
Greensboro scored three of the first four points before Salem (NC) tied the third set at 3-3 on kills by Ellie Scherer and Tessa Vance. The Pride answered by winning seven of the next eight rallies, with Baxley recording two kills in the stretch and
Grace Young adding a service ace to help build a 10-4 lead. Greensboro kept the margin in hand from there, moving ahead 18-8 on a block by Leo and Norris before Norris added a kill during a later push to 21-11. After
Payton Wright's consecutive kills put Greensboro at set point, Salem (NC) scored four straight points before Wright finished the set with another kill for a 25-17 win.
Greensboro started the fourth set with four straight points, including a Norris kill from Johnson and a
Madison Bozarth service ace, before Salem (NC) came back to tie it at 6-6. Salem (NC) moved ahead 14-10 with a four-point stretch that included a Sadie Lippard ace, but Greensboro pulled within 14-13 on kills by Leo,
Sydney Beck and Baxley. Greensboro later tied the set at 16-16 on kills by Allen, Norris and Baxley and again at 17-17 on another Norris kill, before Salem (NC) scored four straight to go up 23-18. Greensboro answered with four consecutive points, including a Leo block, a Wright kill from Mayfield and a Young ace, to close to 23-22, but Salem (NC) took the final two points to win the set 25-22.
Greensboro faced a 4-0 start to the fifth set after Taylor Cook opened with a kill, Ellie Scherer and Ariana Noplos combined on a block, and Scherer added a kill. Norris helped Greensboro work back within 6-5 with three early kills, including two assisted by Johnson, before Salem (NC) scored five straight points to move ahead 11-5 behind kills from Tessa Vance, Cook and Leah Rymer. Greensboro added late points on a Salem (NC) attack error, a Johnson kill and another Norris kill, but Salem (NC) answered each push and finished the set 15-9 on Sadie Rich's kill.
Greensboro Top Performers
Dilynn Norris
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- Career-high 18 kills
- Career-high 19.0 points
- 6 digs
- 2 block assists
Morgan Mayfield
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- Team-high 36 digs
- 6 assists
- 2 kills
Emory Johnson
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- 30 assists
- 24 digs
- 2 kills
Larkin Baxley
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- 13 kills
- Career-high 22 digs
- 15 assists
- 14.5 points
Abigail Leo
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- Team-high 6 total blocks, including 1 solo
- 7 kills
- 10.5 points
Up Next:
Greensboro plays Meredith College and Mary Baldwin on Sunday, Oct. 18, at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. in Staunton, Virginia.
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