GEORGETOWN, Texas — Southwestern volleyball swept its Saturday doubleheader against Centenary, overwhelming the Ladies with many offensive options.
Match 1 - Southwestern 3, Centenary 0 (25-14, 25-21, 25-21)
Emma White showcased her swing's versatility, striking from the back row and at the net to lead the Pirates with 11 kills on a .348 clip, committing just three errors in her 23 attacks. She also had two aces to finish with 13 points and recorded eight digs.
Southwestern went on several large runs, with Katelyn Whitehead setting the tone with her serves, going on 3-0 and 6-0 runs with Whitehead triggering the play, the latter run closing the first set with Southwestern posting a match-high .333 hitting percentage and 15 kills. She also directed a balanced attack, leading the team with 27 assists with four different Pirates posting at least five kills in the three sets.
The Pirates had 16 and 15 kills each in the next two sets, overcoming six attack errors in the third set to clinch the victory.
Riley Brantly was strong in the middle with 10 kills on a .381 hitting percentage, posting two solo blocks and assisting on four others. Ali Grona led the team with 12 digs.
Match 2 - Southwestern 3, Centenary 0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-22)
Southwestern showcased a balanced offense led by setters Katelyn Whitehead and Lauren Crabtree, who tied for the team-high with 17 assists while the team posted 41 kills with no Pirates finishing in double-digit kills.
Audrey Schumacher, Emma White, and Riley Brantley led the way with eight kills each. Brantley was the more efficient of the three, attacking on quick sets and varying her swing patterns to finish with a .250 hitting percentage. Schumacher helped turn defense into offense, recording 14 digs and controlling Centenary's serves.
Ashley Whitlock was active in the middle, assisting on six blocks with four kills, while Jessica Kuras assisted on four with four kills. Kelly Helms stepped in off the bench and took some big swings, recording four kills on 11 attempts.
With the win, Southwestern improves to 7-3, sitting third in the SCAC standings behind undefeated Colorado College and Trinity University. Southwestern will close the regular season next weekend with a doubleheader on the road against Austin College on Friday, April 9.
