MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Kentucky Wesleyan College volleyball team (1-1) opened its season with a four-set victory over Southern Arkansas on Friday morning, followed by a three-set loss to the University of Charleston in the afternoon. In the opener, the Panthers lost the opening set then rattled off the next three in convincing fashion. The afternoon contest was tight for the first two sets before Charleston pulled away in the third set for the victory.
 
Game 1

The Muleriders (0-1) were fast to start at 9 AM with a 25-14 win of the opening set. The tide turned in the second set as the Panthers (1-X) erased a 7-1 deficit to eventually tie the frame at 14-14. Wesleyan won six of eight points in that stretch to pull ahead 18-16. As the set continued to move back-and-forth the Panthers won the final two points to even the match with a 26-24 win.
 
The Panthers seized momentum thereafter as Ava Rebarchik's kill gave Wesleyan an 11-4 lead in the third set. The Panthers' cushion was large enough to withstand a late run by Southern Arkansas. Wesleyan took the third set 25-19.
 
In the fourth set, the Panthers turned a 12-9 deficit into a 21-12 lead with 12 consecutive points. Karrah Cron had five aces in the rally while Lilly Trump converted a pair of kills. Wesleyan ended the match with another 25-19 win.
 
Nicole Martin and Trump each recorded 12 kills. Trump also 11 digs and three blocks. Rebarchik finished with 10 kills in 15 attempts while Cron dished out 36 assists. Maggie Vincent had 14 digs.

Game 2

The opening set was a back and forth battle between the Golden Eagles (1-0) and the Panthers, with KWC grabbing a 21-20 lead on an error by Charleston. The University of Charleston then closed out the set with five straight points to go up 1-0.

After going down 19-12 in set two, the Panthers rallied, scoring six straight points and cutting the lead to 19-18 on a kill by Ava Rebarchik. A few plays later Lilly Trump cut the lead to 22-21 with a kill, but Charleston was too much as they took the set with a score of 25-22.

Set three was all the Golden Eagles. Charleston jumped out to a 10-2 lead to open the set and never looked back on their way to a 25-9 victory.

Trump led the way with 10 kills for the Panthers, also adding five blocks and an ace to her stat line. Nicole Martin and Rebarchik each had two blocks a piece, while Karrah Cron led the with with 13 assists.

The Panthers will be back in action tomorrow as they take on the host Christian Brothers University at 11:30, followed by a matchup against Southwest Baptist University at 4:30.