Looking to remain unbeaten in conference play, the Covenant (16-1, 6-0 CCS) volleyball team welcomed Maryville to campus. Covenant went up 2-0, but Maryville battled back to push it to a fifth set where Covenant reigned superior.
Both teams struggled with a couple of service errors early on in set one as they were tied at seven. Kills from Kyla Bailey and Emma Kalbfleisch plus two attack errors gave Covenant a 17-13 lead. Covenant ended the set on a 4-0 run to win 25-17.
A couple more kills from Bailey and Kalbfleisch saw Covenant take a 10-7 lead in set two. Back-to-back service aces from Sarah Jennings put Covenant ahead 21-12. Rachel Bartlett clinched the set for Covenant at 25-15 with a kill.
A 5-0 run with Jennings serving gave Covenant a 9-5 lead in set three. A service ace from Cali Sandhoff and an attack error from Maryville kept Covenant in front 16-11. Maryville continued to battle as it eventually tied the set at 22. Maryville fought off a match point and later on won the third set 30-28.
Covenant and Maryville were neck-and-neck at the beginning of the fourth set with the score tied at six. An 11-2 run for Maryville saw it take a 16-8 lead. Covenant responded with a 6-0 run with Kalbfleisch serving to get back into the set. A kill from Kalbfleisch assisted by Bartlett put Covenant back to within one point at 22-21. Covenant tied the match at 24, however a kill for Maryville and an attack error from Covenant sent the match to a decisive fifth set.
Kills from Kalbfleisch and Kelsey Carman saw Covenant score the first two points of the final set.
A 4-0 run with Carman serving gave Covenant a 10-5 lead and had it just five points from victory. Maryville wouldn't back down scoring four consecutive points after a timeout to get within one. That is as close as Maryville would get, as a kill from Bailey and a service ace by Bartlett gave Covenant the final set 15-11 and the win.
Kalbfliesch had a double-double and led Covenant with 23 digs and a game-high 17 kills. Hannah Haerer had a career-high nine total blocks and tied a season-high of 14 kills. Bartlett put up a double-double with 43 assists and 14 digs. Jennings set career highs in both digs (23) and service aces (5)
The Scots travel to Wesleyan on Saturday for a tri-match with them and Belhaven. Covenant plays at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.