Memphis - Rhodes College volleyball had fans rocking in a packed Mallory Gymnasium in the first set of their home opener Tuesday night. They Lynx tallied five blocks and hit .300 in their first-set victory over Mississippi University for Women. Rhodes eventually defeated the Owls 25-16, 26-24, 25-13 to improve to 5-3 on the year.
In the first set, with Rhodes leading 14-9, the Lynx posted six straight points to break open the game, which included back-to-back blocks as well as two
Annie Burke aces. The Owls pulled with eight points (22-14), but Rhodes finished the game on a 3-2 advantage and a
Gabrielle White kill for the set point. She tallied two solo blocks and one block assist in that first set.
MUW turned the tables on the Lynx and led 18-13 until the Lynx tied the game 20-20 after four kills, two aces and one Owl attack error. MUW then took a two-point lead (23-21) but an
Annie Entz kill and Owl attack error tied the game again. Coming out of a timeout, White and
Heather Antrim teamed up for a block. MUW avoided the set point on a kill but Antrim gave the Lynx the advantage on a kill as well. Entz put the Lynx up 2-0 on a kill for the 26-24 victory.
Rhodes led 10-3 in the third set before the Owls pulled within three points. The Lynx later went on a 7-2 run which included five kills to lead 20-12. After an MUW timeout and kill, the Lynx finished the game with five unanswered points included the final three points on Burke service aces.
Burke led the game with six aces, a career-high, while White went 7-of-8 at the net for a .875 hitting percentage to go along with her two solo blocks and two block assists. Sophomore
Drew Kalman totaled four block assists and one solo block. Junior
Kelsey Glasper led the Lynx with 13 kills and eight digs while
Sarah Nieland tallied 19 assists and led all defense with 12 digs. Entz finished the game hitting .250 with eight kills on 20 attempts.
The Lynx travel to Conway, Ark. this weekend to open conference play on Saturday before three non-conference matchups throughout the weekend.