SWANNANOA, N.C. — Warren Wilson College bounced back from a tight opening-set loss to defeat Sweet Briar College in four sets Friday at the DeVries Athletic Center.
The Owls earned their first victory of the season, 25-27, 25-23, 25-13, 25-11, improving to 1-5 overall.
Pandora Keele led a balanced Warren Wilson attack with 18 kills and a .484 hitting percentage. Akeela Cunningham filled the stat sheet with 16 kills, seven service aces and 13 digs, while Josie McCoy added 12 kills, three aces and 12 digs.
Setter Aria Parish directed the offense with 42 assists and seven digs. Libero Kylee Egidi collected a team-high 13 digs and five aces as the Owls finished with 20 service aces.
After Sweet Briar claimed a back-and-forth opening set, Warren Wilson responded in another tightly contested second frame. With the score tied at 23, Keele delivered a kill before an attack error gave the Owls a 25-23 win and evened the match.
Warren Wilson took control in the third set. Leading 15-10, the Owls scored four straight points behind Egidi's serve to build a 19-10 advantage. Cunningham closed the 25-13 victory with a kill.
The Owls carried that momentum into the fourth set. Cunningham served four aces during an early surge that gave Warren Wilson an 8-3 lead. Egidi later closed the match from the service line as the Owls scored the final five points for a 25-11 win.
Warren Wilson finished with 52 kills and a .225 hitting percentage while holding Sweet Briar to 23 kills and an .081 percentage. The Owls were at their best during the final two sets, hitting .412 in the third and .261 in the fourth.
