DANVILLE, Ky. -- The Covenant volleyball team received two more impressive performances from senior middle hitter Chelsea VanDyk, but the Lady Scots could not come away with a victory on Saturday in a non-conference tri-match at Centre. Covenant fell 3-1 (25-22, 25-21, 23-25, 25-23) to 21st-ranked Berry and then 3-1 (25-18, 25-22, 24-26, 25-17) to host Centre.
On the day, VanDyk tallied 38 kills and had a hitting percentage of .580 in the losses. Over the week, VanDyk accumulated 4.82 kills per set, with only three attack errors, and hit at a clip of .588.
Covenant drops to 4-8 overall.
MATCH ONE: No. 21 Berry 3, Covenant 1
Facing a nationally-ranked foe for the second time this season, Covenant hung with Berry before the Vikings escaped with a four-set victory.
VanDyk led the Lady Scots with 17 kills and a .615 hitting percentage, the second time this week she hit over .600, to go along with five total blocks and two service aces. Ginny Moore had 16 kills and nine digs, while Schuyler Moore tallied 39 assists and 10 digs. Ariana Buchanan had a match-high 23 digs with Jaclyn Stuart adding 14 of her own.
Covenant was behind for most of the first set, but fought back to tie the score at 22 after a VanDyk kill that capped a 6-1 scoring run. Berry would take the final three points, however, to gain a 1-0 match lead.
In the second set, Covenant went ahead 9-4 in the early going behind three kills from VanDyk and two from Ginny Moore. After Berry rallied to tie, Covenant again surged ahead at 19-15. But the Vikings rallied once again and outscored the Lady Scots 10-2 to take a 2-0 match lead.
Covenant extended the match with a 25-23 win in the third set. The Lady Scots tallied 12 kills in the frame. The set saw nine ties, but Covenant would not be denied this time as it held off Berry in the final points to force another game. The Lady Scots broke a 19-19 tie with three straight points and then ended the set on a kill from Ginny Moore.
The fourth set was back-and-forth with 12 ties and five lead changes. Covenant held an 18-15 lead after a Hannah Rogers kill, but Berry scored the next six points for a 21-18 lead. A VanDyk kill tied the set back up at 23, but Berry took the final two points to secure the win.
Jessica Gum led Berry (12-3) with 12 kills and Lauren Schmitz had 36 assists and nine kills. Katie Truluck recorded 21 digs.
MATCH TWO: Centre 3, Covenant 1
Covenant fell behind 2-0, but extended the match with a fourth set victory before falling to host Centre in four sets. The match was just the second time the two programs have met and the first meeting since 2001.
VanDyk had a season-high 21 kills on 36 attempts with one error for a .556 hitting percentage. She also tallied two service aces in the defeat. Ginny Moore produced 17 kills and 17 digs for her eighth double-double of the year. Schuyler Moore registered 37 assists and Buchanan led the way with 23 digs. Stuart also had double-digit digs with 12.
Centre (6-8) scored the final seven points of the first set to break an 18-18 tie and go ahead 1-0 in the match. In the second set, Covenant had a 22-19 lead after Jessica Seehorn and Hannah Harris recorded consecutive kills, but Centre had another late push with the final six points going to the Colonels.
In the third set, another back-and-forth affair, Covenant took a 20-18 lead after a combined block from Ginny Moore and VanDyk. Centre came back to knot the score at 22, but a Ginny Moore kill and an error by Centre gave Covenant a 24-22 lead. Centre once again rallied, but Covenant had the answer as a Centre error followed by another VanDyk kill sealed the set win.
Centre regained momentum early in the fourth set as the hosts took a 14-8 lead and Covenant would not be able to mount a comeback.
Hailey Foote (15), Shelby Foote 913) and Beth Cecil (11) all recorded double-digit kills for Centre. Elizabeth Janszen led all players with 41 assists and Erin McGrath added 20 digs.
UP NEXT
Covenant hosts Sewanee inside Barnes Physical Education Center on Tuesday. Match time is set for 7 p.m.
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