Bens serves Bishop volleyball to 3-2 win over Mary Baldwin

Rocky Mount, NC - Sophomore Sydney Bens recorded a career-high nine service aces, leading her North Carolina Wesleyan volleyball squad to a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Mary Baldwin College in Everett Gym on Sunday afternoon.  Bens (pictured) added 14 kills and a team-high 18 digs to complete a solid all-around performance.  Game scores were 27-30, 30-24, 20-30, 30-28, and 15-12.  The Bishops are now 6-13 on the season.

Down two games to one in the match, the Bishops trailed 18-10 in game four with the momentum in favor of Mary Baldwin.  Eight unforced errors by the Squirrels, coupled with Bishop kills by Bens, April Wilson, and Brittany Insley, allowed Wesleyan to tie the game at 24-24.

After trading the next four points, Bens delivered two of her nine aces to give the Bishops their first lead of the game at 28-26.  MBC fought back to tie the game, but an Insley kill followed by a Squirrel attack error effectively sent the match to a fifth and deciding game.

With game five tied 3-3, Bens calmly blasted three consecutive service aces to give NCWC the early lead.  Down 8-5 at the exchange, Mary Baldwin again battled back to tie the game at 8-8.  Wesleyan, however, pushed ahead 11-9, and senior Liana Poyer recorded three straight service points to set up match point for the Bishops at 14-9.

Three straight points by the Squirrels made it interesting, but another unforced error ended their comeback and gave Wesleyan the game and match.  The Bishops recorded ten kills against only one error in the deciding game. 

In addition to Bens' performance, Insley recorded a team-high 18 kills.  She and Cristin Jones each added 14 digs, while sophomore setter Caitlin George turned in 41 assists and 18 pickups.  Wilson and Poyer added eight kills apiece.  Senior Casey Spivey and freshman Alexcia Johnson had seven digs and three kills, respectively, while Ashley Fletcher came of the bench to add a kill in game three.

For Mary Baldwin, Colena Roberts notched a game-high 23 kills.  Libero Amanda Chambers recorded an impressive 36 digs on the day.  Both teams finished with eight total blocks.

The Bishops return to action on Wednesday when they travel to Chowan University.  Game time is slated for 7:00 p.m. in Murfreesboro.