MARYVILLE, Tenn. – The final day of the MC Labor Day Classic saw Spalding volleyball defeat Huntingdon College 3-1 and fall 3-0 to host Maryville College.

The Golden Eagles moved to 1-2 overall after the Sunday split. The Hawks now sit at 0-3, while the Scots are 2-2 after the sweep.

M1: SU vs Huntingdon
A Halle Calbert kill got the first match of the day started. After an exchange of points led to a 3-3 tie, Spalding took the lead for good in the frame with a 4-0 run of two kills and two Huntingdon errors. A later 5-1 run pushed the Golden Eagle lead to seven before the final two points of the frame gave SU a 25-17 set one win.

Spalding jumped out to an early 5-2 advantage in the second frame. Two Jayda Branch service aces contributed to the streak. The Golden Eagle lead held until the 20th point when the Hawks tied it up with a 3-0 run. Huntingdon closed out the set with a 5-1 run to earn a 25-22 win.

Five points were traded between both teams in the opening moments of the third set. Back-to-back kills from Branch set off a 6-0 run that gave Spalding an 11-6 lead. That advantage was never surrendered. SU broke off a 6-1 run to end the game and capped off a 25-14 frame win with an Emily Jaggers service ace. The Golden Eagles hit a match-high percentage of .286.

Set four was tight from the first serve on. The frame featured a match-high eight ties and five lead changes. Spalding took a 20-15 lead after three consecutive kills and it seemed like the end of the set was near. The Hawks came within one twice at 20-19 and 22-21. The Golden Eagles took care of business with three-straight points and earned the set and match win 25-21.

M2: SU vs Maryville
Spalding took on the host Maryville, in the second match of the day. An early 3-1 lead came for the Golden Eagles, but it was one of the final times they would be on top in the first set. The home-standing Scots took the lead at 7-6 and never gave it up. A valiant 5-1 effort by SU cut the lead to two at 19-17, but Maryville closed out set one 25-18.

Set two was all Scots. The hosts went on a 7-0 run, starting with their second point, and never looked back. Spalding struggled to get things going in the 25-13 set loss.

Set three was the closest of the match. Eight ties were sprinkled throughout the frame with three lead changes. Three errors and a Jaggers service ace gave the Golden Eagles a 13-9 lead. Maryville came back to go up 18-16, and SU never got back within more than two points in the match-clinching 25-21 win for the Scots.

GOLDEN EAGLE NOTES

• Spalding led in almost every team category against Huntingdon. The Golden Eagles led in kills (49-30), aces (11-5), assists (46-29), and digs (73-71).
• Jayda Branch led both matches in kills for the visiting team with 19 in the first and nine in the second.
• Halle Calbert had a career-high five service aces in the first match. Ella Clark added two in the second match.
• Abigail Ratts led the block party in the first match with a solo block and three block assists.

 
NEXT FOR SPALDING
Spalding hosts crosstown foe Boyce College on Thursday. First serve is set for 6 p.m. inside Columbia Gym.