BETHANY, Okla. -- After a contentious first set, the Golden Eagles rode a pair of double-digit kill performances from freshman Reese Montgomery and senior Emma-Kate Schaefer to a sweep (25-23, 25-20, 25-17) as the John Brown University volleyball team handled Southwestern Christian (Okla.) on Friday night (Oct. 31) inside Pickens-Springer Gymnasium.
Montgomery hit .500 in the middle (12-2-20), including a dozen terminations and six blocks. Shaefer, meanwhile, smacked 11 kills on 34 swings (.235) from the right side as the John Brown (9-18, 5-14 Sooner Athletic) offense churned at a .211 (44-16-133) rate to end the squad's seven-match skid.
The first set including 12 ties and eight lead changes, but the Blue and Gold used a kill from freshman Kate Carlson and combination of sophomore Tessa Burton and Montgomery teamed up for the set-clinching rejection as the visitors broken open the 23-all tie to take a 1-0 lead.
Set two was all John Brown, highlighted by a frame-opening 9-0 run – helped by four Southwestern Christian errors. The hosts could never recover, but battled to a 24-20 score until sophomore Federica Ferrari's termination ended the rally bid.
Hitting its best all night (.273), the visitors broke open a 15-15 deadlock with yet another massive run – this time 8-0 – allowing the Golden Eagles to find signs of a season sweep of SCU.
Montgomery hit her final termination of the match, and freshman Taylor Kosmicki clinched the match with a dump over the front row, sending John Brown to its 11th win in 12 chances inside Pickens-Springer.
Burton finished with her third double-double – and second consecutive – with a team-leading 18 assists to accompany 12 digs. Kosmicki added 17 assists and a pair of kills in the win.
Freshman Paige Addington patrolled the back row to the tune of 24 digs, while sophomore Mallory Jury also produced a dozen scoops.
JBU will now eye a weekend sweep as the Golden Eagles head to Abe Lemons Arena to take on Oklahoma City on Saturday afternoon (Nov. 1). The Blue and Gold won its first matchup of the year with the Stars in Siloam Springs in four sets. The contest will air live on the SAC Sports Network, for a fee.
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