STAUNTON, VA- The Mary Baldwin Fighting Squirrels Volleyball Team competed in their
first home conference match this evening against the Cougars of Averett University.  Averett won 3 -1 (25-15, 18-25, 25-19, 25-13).

Averett's offense started strong as the Cougars finished the first set with 13 kills and just 3 errors.

In the second set, it was Mary Baldwin who posted their best hitting percentage of the year finishing the set with 15 kills and just 4 attacking errors.

The third set was a battle from the beginning with both teams trading points back and forth. Then with the score tied 18-18, Averett's Sarah Smoot had three kills and Leslie Fulton added another to push their team to the 19-25 win.

The final set saw Mary Baldwin down 10-2 before they roared back to tie at 12-12. Averett's senior setter Nicole Baringer then showed her experience serving for 12 points then getting a kill to end the set and the match.

Mary Baldwin's outside hitter Katelyn Rice said, “we have a strong team with strong abilities. We need to get better at keeping it together throughout the whole match.”

Mary Baldwin was led in kills by Rice with 15, while sophomore Jessica Hickman and freshman Kennedy Quick contributed with 9 each. Sophomore Reilly Kelly led the team in assists with 27. Jessica Hickman and freshman Xenna Belfield led Baldwin in digs with
12 apiece while Katelyn Rice added 11.

Averett's Hannah Shields led her team with 21 kills while Sarah Smoot contributed with 16.

Nicole Barringer led in assists and digs for the visitors with 37 and 16 respectively.

Mary Baldwin Volleyball continues conference play on Saturday at home with a USA South
Quad Match.