After playing its first 13 matches away from home, the Covenant College volleyball team finally played their home opener. It took five sets to do it, but Covenant defeated Berea to start its weekend on a winning note.
In the first set, two service aces by Cali Sandhoff and one from Sarah Jennings helped the Scots jump in front 6-1. Berea responded with six straight points out of a timeout to go up 7-6.
Covenant tied it back up at 13 after another service ace at 13-13. The Mountaineers scored the next four points and did not give up their lead as they won the set 25-20.
In the second set, Three kills by Sandhoff highlighted a 7-0 run for Covenant to put it up 9-4.
A 5-0 run by Berea saw the score tied at 13 for the second set in a row. Back-to-back kills from Hanah Mathis started a 4-0 run to put Covenant ahead 18-14.
Berea got back within two points, but a kill from Sandhoff ended the set 25-21 in favor of the Scots.
Kayley Shanfelt had four early kills as Covenant put its foot down and led 12-3 in the third set.
The Scots continued to extend their lead as a kill from Kelsey Carman made it 20-9. Mathis had the set-clinching kill at 25-20.
Covenant scored the first three points of the fourth set with kills from Mathis, Kennedy Barber, and Sandhoff. A kill followed by another service ace, both from Sandhoff pushed the Scots in front 15-8.
Berea flipped the switch as an 8-1 run put it in the lead at 18-17. The Mountaineers kept their momentum going as a kill from Deanna De La Torre ended the set at 25-22.
In the final set, Mathis took over early on, as Covenant scored the first three points, which were all off kills from her. Two kills from Scarlett Martz with a kill by Carman mixed in between extended Covenant's lead to 10-5. Sandhoff secured the match-winning kill with an assist from Barber at 15-8.
Covenant moves to 16-1 all-time against Berea. For the second game in a row, Mathis tied her career-high in kills with 18. She also had five total blocks. Sandhoff filled the stat sheet up with a career-high 15 kills and 14 assists for the double-double. Shanfelt also had a double-double with 19 digs and 10 kills. Barber set a new career-high with 52 assists to go along with 10 digs for another Scots' double-double. The fourth double-double belonged to Carman with 17 digs and 13 kills.
Jennings led Covenant in digs with 25.
Covenant returns to action tomorrow at 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. with conference matches against Huntingdon and Agnes Scott.