COLUMBUS, Miss. – The Mississippi University for Women's volleyball team hosted the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's (SLIAC) top two teams – Fontbonne University and Webster University, respectively – in a tri-match on Saturday and lost to both by 3-0 results. The Owls were topped by first-place Fontbonne, 25-20, 25-20, 25-15, and then lost to Webster, 25-19, 25-20, 25-16.
(Between The W's matches – with a match-up of nicknames that sounds like it could have come from a Harry Potter novel - the SLIAC-leading Griffins asserted their dominance in the standings by sweeping the runner-up Gorloks, 3-0, as well.)
In its morning match versus FBU, MUW was led by
Llayne Skinner and
Madyson McBrayer with eight and seven kills. Setters
Hannah Duran and
Karmen McCrory each had nine assists.
Allison Carpenter had a match-leading five aces served, to go along with six digs.
In the afternoon finale, Skinner and
Maggie Griggs each rolled up seven kills to top the Owls' offense.
Duran had 11 assists and six digs.
Senior libero
Madison Suggs (Caledonia, Miss./Caledonia H.S.) led The W back row in both matches, amassing 12 digs versus Fontbonne and 13 against Webster. That puts Suggs on the threshold of history for Owls volleyball. Suggs – already the leader in every digs category in the MUW recordbook – is sitting at 996 career digs after Saturday.
Barring any cataclysmic event, Suggs should reach the coveted 1,000-dig plateau in the Owls' home finale - and non-conference bout - versus Rhodes College next Tuesday (Oct. 17/6:30 p.m.) at Pohl Gym. Fittingly, the match will also be The W's "Senior Day" ceremony, as well.
