The Covenant volleyball team is certainly settling into a routine. The Scots claimed two more five-set victories on Saturday, with big rallies in each one, as Covenant defeated LaGrange and Piedmont in USA South action inside Cave Arena in Demorest.
Covenant (11-10, 9-1 USA South) has won six straight matches and played seven five-set matches in the last 11 contests overall. The Scots are 5-2 in those seven five-set matches during the stretch. It is also the first time all season Covenant has been over the .500 mark.
In both matches on Saturday, Covenant faced match deficits and each time came through with a rally for the win.
Against LaGrange, the Scots dropped the first two sets, but that didn't deter Covenant at all.
The Scots held off LaGrange in the third set for a 25-23 win, capped by a Hannah Harris kill. In the fourth, Covenant trailed 17-11 before going on a 7-0 run to take an 18-17 lead. With the score tied at 21 apiece, Covenant scored four of the final five points as a Harris kill mixed with LaGrange errors gave the Scots the set win and forced a fifth set.
The fifth set was completely dominated by the Scots. Covenant scored the first 12 points of the frame, which included a pair of kills from Allie Jakes, and took the set win and the match with a convincing 15-1 victory. Meriel Chupp and Jakes recorded back-to-back kills to complete the reverse sweep for the Scots.
Alexa Spurling had 13 kills and two blocks for the Scots, while Harris had 12 kills and 13 digs. Jakes added 11 kills and three total blocks. Sophie Puertas also had a double-double with 46 assists and 11 digs. Emily Moore led the defense with a career-high 35 digs.
Against Piedmont, a similar story unfolded. The host Lions took a match lead, but Covenant found a way to respond to pick up the conference win. Down 2-1 in the match, the Scots squeaked by for a 25-23 set four victory before completing the comeback win with a 15-6 set five victory.
Chupp had a career-high 14 kills and Harris also had 14 kills and a career-high 21 digs in the match. Spurling added 12 kills, seven digs, and three blocks, while Riley Howe had 12 kills and seven digs. Puertas tallied a career-high 50 assists to go with 14 digs and Moore totaled 34 digs in the win.
In the fourth set, Covenant led 23-19 before Piedmont scored the next four points to tie the set. However, the Scots came through with a Howe kill followed by a Hannah Stewart ace to send the match into a fifth game.
The teams traded the first six points of the decisive set, but then Covenant went on a 7-1 run to go ahead 10-4 after a Spurling kill. Another kill from Howe a few points later ended the set and gave Covenant the victory.
Covenant will go out-of-conference for a region match with Berry on Tuesday inside Barnes PE Center. Match time is set for 6 p.m.