Belhaven University Athletics

BEREA, Ky. - Tarryn Woodall put down 21 kills, while Maggie Joy Tomlin handed out 40 assists and served a season-high nine aces as Belhaven rallied past Berea in four sets Friday evening at the Seabury Center.

After dropping the opening set, the Blazers controlled the final three frames to earn the 19-25, 25-19, 25-19, 25-10 victory. Belhaven improved to 5-7 on the season and has won five of its last seven matches.

The first set featured nine ties and five lead changes before Berea broke open a 14-14 score with seven unanswered points. The Mountaineers held Belhaven to a .000 hitting percentage in the frame and took the early advantage with a 25-19 win.

Berea carried the momentum into the second, opening a 4-0 lead and later holding a 13-10 edge. Belhaven answered behind the serve of Angel Edwards. The freshman served eight consecutive points, including three aces, to turn an 11-13 deficit into a 19-13 advantage. Megan LaCour delivered three straight kills during the run, and Woodall closed the set with a kill to even the match.

The Blazers had to rally again in the third after the Mountaineers built a 14-10 lead. Woodall started a six-point Belhaven run with a kill, while Laila Gauthier added two kills during the surge that put the Blazers in front, 16-14. Berea pulled within one at 20-19, but Belhaven scored the final five points of the set, capped by another Woodall kill, to take control of the match.

Belhaven left little doubt in the fourth. Leading 4-3, the Blazers reeled off 10 consecutive points to seize a 14-3 advantage. Tomlin served nine points during the run and recorded five aces, while Woodall added three kills. Belhaven hit .407 in the set, and Tomlin finished the 25-10 victory with her sixth ace of the frame.

Woodall's 21 kills came on a .341 hitting percentage and marked her third 20-kill performance of the season. Gauthier finished with 11 kills and hit .241, while LaCour added nine kills and 13 digs.

Tomlin complemented her 40 assists and nine aces with three kills and seven digs. Kayla Robinson led all players with 26 digs, her third match with at least 25 digs in Belhaven's last four contests. Edwards contributed nine digs in addition to her three service aces.

Belhaven finished with advantages in kills (49-34), assists (47-30), aces (12-4) and digs (69-57). The Blazers hit .276 over the final three sets and limited Berea to a .044 hitting percentage for the match.

Belhaven returns to conference play Saturday against Asbury at 11 a.m. CT before facing Spalding at 1 p.m. CT in Wilmore, Kentucky.

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