LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN -- Things started a bit shaky for the Covenant volleyball team on Saturday afternoon. Hosting their first tri-match of the season, the Lady Scots fell behind Oglethorpe two sets to none before rallying for a 3-2 (23-25, 22-25, 25-21, 25-21, 15-9) victory in game one of the day.
The second match of the afternoon went much more smoothly as Covenant controlled from the start to capture a 3-0 (25-15, 25-13, 25-14) win over former conference foe Wesleyan.
Chelsea VanDyk tallied 17 kills, two block solos and three block assists in the first match while Cora Schroeder had 11 kills and 16 digs. Stephanie Kirkpatrick registered her fifth career 40-plus assist match with 43 to go along with 14 digs. Estes Carlson led the defense with 23 digs and Anna Swain added 14.
Oglethorpe came out with a strong attack as the Stormy Petrels used 21 kills in the first two sets to stake a 2-0 lead. The teams went back-and-forth in those two sets, but Oglethorpe was able to get the key points when they needed it.
The third set was knotted up at 19 apiece before the Lady Scots scored six of the final eight points of the game to claim the set. Covenant then led throughout the fourth set and held off any Oglethorpe rally to force a fifth and deciding set.
Covenant gained a 10-5 advantage in the fifth set and would not let Oglethorpe get any closer the rest of the way. A kill by sophomore Swain ended the match as the Lady Scots completed the comeback.
The Lady Scots held a 53-38 edge in kills and a 10-3 advantage in service aces. Oglethorpe's Erin Shelton led the Stormy Petrels (0-1) with 14 kills and was followed by McKenna Bondarenko's 10 kills and 10 digs. Megan Makuck tallied 26 digs.
The second match saw Covenant seize control early on against Wesleyan. Each healthy member of the team, 11 in all, saw playing time for the Lady Scots. Schroeder was again effective on the attack as she had nine kills and just two errors. VanDyk added seven kills while Caroline Cone and Swain had five apiece.
Covenant only trailed briefly in the early moments of each set before rallying and cruising to the victory.
Wesleyan (0-2) was led by Malae Fiaseu's 12 kills.
Covenant moves to 2-0 on the season. The Lady Scots will be back in action on Tuesday when they travel to play Sewanee at 7 p.m. EDT.
