Belhaven University Athletics

JACKSON, Miss. - Belhaven broke into the win column twice on Friday, opening its homestand with a five-set victory over LeTourneau before closing the evening with a sweep of Centenary inside Rugg Arena.

The Blazers defeated LeTourneau 25-20, 27-25, 20-25, 21-25, 15-11 and followed with a 25-16, 25-17, 25-19 win over Centenary. Belhaven improved to 2-5 on the season.

Belhaven 3, LeTourneau 2
Tarryn Woodall turned in a career-night in the opener, finishing with 24 kills and 11 digs for her first double-double of the season. Her 24 kills matched Taylor Williams' performance against Southern Wesleyan in 2012, the highest total in Belhaven's available single-match records. Woodall also became the first Blazer to reach 20 kills in a match since Blaykleigh Smythe in 2016.

Belhaven used a four-point run to build a 14-9 lead in the opening set and stayed in front the rest of the way. Laila Gauthier closed the 25-20 win with a kill off an assist from Maggie Joy Tomlin.

The Blazers faced a much steeper climb in the second set. LeTourneau used a seven-point run to take a 10-5 lead and later went in front 19-14. Belhaven answered with four straight points to pull within one, then turned a 21-19 deficit into a 22-21 advantage behind a Megan LaCour ace and a pair of Woodall kills.

LeTourneau earned a set point at 25-24, but the Blazers responded with the final three points. An attack error tied the set, Gauthier put Belhaven in front with a kill and another LeTourneau error gave the Blazers a 27-25 victory and a two-set lead.

LeTourneau answered by taking the next two sets. The YellowJackets created separation with a pair of four-point runs in the third and erased a 16-13 Belhaven lead in the fourth. After Belhaven moved back ahead 18-17, LeTourneau scored four straight and went on to force a deciding set.

The YellowJackets carried an 8-5 lead into the changeover in the fifth, but Belhaven immediately took control. LaCour started a five-point run with a kill, Cami Davis followed with another and Woodall delivered back-to-back kills to put the Blazers ahead 10-8.

Belhaven led 12-11 when an attack error gave the Blazers a two-point cushion. Woodall then finished the match herself, recording kills on the final two rallies to secure the 15-11 win.

The five-set match featured 32 ties and 19 lead changes.

Gauthier joined Woodall in double figures with 15 kills and hit a team-best .379. LaCour added 13 kills and 20 digs for a double-double, while Tomlin handed out a season-high 57 assists to go with five kills and two aces. Kayla Robinson anchored the back row with 30 digs.

Belhaven totaled 70 kills, 64 assists, 83 digs and seven aces while hitting .184. The Blazers held LeTourneau to 49 kills and a .168 hitting percentage.

Belhaven 3, Centenary 0
Belhaven carried its momentum into the nightcap and never trailed in either the first or third set.

The Blazers scored the first four points against Centenary and turned a 4-2 lead into an 11-2 advantage with a seven-point run. Woodall served for six points during the stretch, while Goldie Lowe and Gauthier contributed two kills apiece. Belhaven remained in control and Woodall closed the 25-16 set with a kill.

Centenary scored the first point of the second before Belhaven answered with four straight. The Blazers later used another four-point run, capped by an Angel Edwards ace, to take a 10-3 lead. Centenary pulled within two at 11-9, but Belhaven responded with three consecutive points and did not allow the margin to shrink again in a 25-17 win.

Woodall set the tone from the service line in the third. Belhaven raced out to a 5-0 lead as the sophomore recorded three consecutive aces. A later five-point run stretched the margin to 16-6 before Centenary mounted its strongest push of the match, scoring seven straight to trim Belhaven's lead to 18-16.

The Blazers stopped the run and answered with three consecutive points. Woodall supplied a kill during the response and added another at set point before Tomlin ended the match with a kill for the 25-19 final.

LaCour led Belhaven with nine kills, while Woodall finished with eight kills, five aces and seven digs. Lowe added five kills on a .333 hitting percentage, Tomlin distributed 23 assists and Robinson collected a match-high 13 digs.

Belhaven recorded 10 aces and held Centenary to 24 kills and a .092 hitting percentage. The Blazers finished with 35 kills, 31 assists and 41 digs.

Belhaven returns to Rugg Arena tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 12th, for a 12:00 PM match against Principia.

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