SCORE
Montevallo 3, Lander 0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-18)
RECORDS
Montevallo (11-6 overall, 4-1 in Peach Belt Conference)
Lander (13-4 overall, 4-2 in Peach Belt Conference)
LOCATION
Trustmark Arena (Montevallo, Ala.)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Montevallo improved to 4-1 in Peach Belt Conference play with an impressive sweep of the Bearcats.
The Falcons opened the match with a 15-6 run, capped with a kill by senior setter Briana Marquez, before holding off a late charge by Lander down the stretch to secure a 25-22 win in the frame.
The Bearcats responded with a 6-2 run at the beginning of the second set after taking advantage of a few miscues by the Falcons. Montevallo responded with a 9-5 run to tie the frame at 11-11 on a kill by sophomore Breana Thomas. The two teams battled down the stretch before the Falcons' 7-2 run to end the frame, capped with a kill by Thomas, secured a 25-21 win in the set.
Montevallo opened the third and final set with a 9-4 run, capped with a kill by senior Rebekah Phelps. Lander responded with a 5-2 run to trim the deficit to 11-9, but the Falcons put the finishing touches on the match down the stretch with junior Chandler Cooper providing the final kill in a 25-18 victory in the set.
STAT OF THE MATCH
Three Falcons finished with an attack percentage of .300 or better in the victory, led by sophomore Kristy Bohan with a .478 hitting percentage. Thomas posted a .429 hitting percentage and Cooper recorded a .316 attack percentage.
BEYOND THE NUMBERS
Thomas finished with a career-high 18 kills in the match. Thomas, who played in nine matches during her freshman season two years ago before sitting out last season with an injury, has appeared in all 17 matches and played a key role for the Falcons this year.
Senior Briana Marquez registered a team-high 48 assists in the victory, finishing just one assist shy of her season-high.
Senior Carissa Bell recorded a team-high 17 digs in the win, marking the 15th time this season the reigning co-Libero of the Year in the Peach Belt Conference has finished with double-digit digs in a match.
QUOTABLE
Sophomore Breana Thomas
"We all played really good. We were all flowing. We were talking about on the bench how everything was just flowing. That's what we wanted. That's what we came in with those expectations, this team was pretty tough. We got them."
"(Marquez) is playing awesome. She's getting balls that I know I could not get. It's great having a setter that is able to get anything, get it up so that we can get the swing and the kill. It's an awesome feeling."
"Every time I get on, it's so exciting, because thinking where I was last year, not on the court. Every time is just a blessing to be on the court, exciting to use this opportunity to do well."
Head Coach Katie O'Brien
"The girls played really well today and we were consistent. That was definitely the key to beating Lander."
"Both (Thomas and Bohan) played well and both hit .400. But, this is the best Breana Thomas has hit and blocked this year. We expect big things from her."
UP NEXT
Montevallo will take a week off before traveling to Savannah, Georgia to take on Armstrong State University in a Peach Belt Conference match Friday, Oct. 9. First serve is set for 7 p.m. Eastern/6 p.m. Central.
