DAVIDSON, N.C. – The Elon University volleyball team fell to ETSU and Marshall on Saturday at the Wildcat Classic.
 
Elon 0, ETSU 3 (15-25, 18-25, 21-25)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED 

• ETSU took a quick 9-3 lead, forcing an Elon timeout. The Phoenix responded with a 4-1 run to get within three at 10-7, but the Buccaneers rallied back to go up 15-9 midway through the first set. Elon put together a late 5-2 run to cut the ETSU lead to three again at 17-14 but that's as close as the Phoenix could get with the Buccaneers taking the first set 25-15.
• Elon gained an early 7-4 lead over the Buccaneers in set two. A serving run from Casey Brower, capped with an ace, put the Phoenix up 12-8. After an ETSU timeout, the Buccaneers went on a 12-2 run to pull ahead 20-14 and maintained that lead taking set two 25-18.
• A 5-0 serving run for Kayla Palmer put Elon ahead of ETSU 9-6 early in set three. The Buccaneers tied the score at 12-12 before taking a late 18-14 lead over the Phoenix. Three straight points from Clara LaRue brought Elon within three at 22-19, but it was not enough, as ETSU won the final set 25-21.

NOTES 

• Clara LaRue led the Phoenix with 11 kills followed by Lily Barker, who reached a career-high of eight kills.
• Caroline Doyle tallied a team-high 16 digs, while Annabelle Schall and Casey Brower both added seven.
• Schall led the team in assists with 14, while Kyla Johnson and Sydney Love both led with two blocks.
• Kayla Palmer made her Elon debut, contributing three assists, two digs and one ace. LaRue and Brower also added an ace apiece.

 
Elon 0, Marshall 3 (25-27, 23-25, 22-25) 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED 

• Marshall controlled the momentum early in the opening set, leading 13-5. Elon answered with a 7-3 run to get back within four at 16-12. At 20-16, Caroline Doyle added the team's fourth ace of the set to get within three. A pair of Marshall errors and a block assist from Sydney Love and Caroline Berlekamp eventually saw the Phoenix cut the Thundering Herd lead to one at 21-20. It was a battle to the finish with another block from Love and back-to-back aces from Abigail Sparkman saving two Marshall match points and putting Elon up 25-24. Three straight Marshall points closed out the first set 27-25.
• After the Phoenix took an 8-3 lead to start the second set, Marshall called for a timeout. From there, the Thundering Herd went on a 6-2 run to get within one at 10-9 but the Phoenix came back with a 4-1 run of their own to go up 14-10 midway through the frame. With the frame tied at 22-22, Marshall pulled away taking set two 25-23.
• Marshall jumped to a 15-9 lead midway through the third set. Elon would put together a late 7-1 run to get within one at 19-18 but that's as close as they would get as Marshall won the final set 25-22.

NOTES 

• Elon's six aces in the first set were the most in a match so far this season.
• Kayla Palmer recorded her first career double-double tallying 15 assists and 10 digs.
• Doyle reached double-digit digs for the third straight match to lead the team with 18.
• Sydney Love paced the Phoenix with 12 kills followed by Lindsey Harris with seven and Caroline Berlekamp with six.
• Berlekamp and Love also tallied a team-best five blocks apiece while Catherine Rucker tallied three.
• Berlekamp, Doyle and Abigail Sparkman all recorded a team-high two aces. 

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
MVP – Jackie Bardin (Davidson)
Emma Slusser (Davidson)
Kinsey Smith (Davidson)
Brynn Brown (Marshall)
McKenna Melton (Marshall)
Reese Rhodes (ETSU)
Caroline Doyle (Elon)


UP NEXT 

• Elon hosts the Runnin' Bulldogs of Gardner-Webb Tuesday, September 3 at Schar Center for Bridgerton Night.