The Elon women’s volleyball team fell to Washington State, 3-0, at the Radford/Virginia Tech Invite in Radford, Va., on Friday. The loss marked the Phoenix’s first contest of the season.
The Phoenix kept the score close in the first set, trailing by as little as three before the Cougars pulled away to win, 25-18. The second set was much of the same for Elon with Washington State winning, 25-17.
Set number three was fiercely competitive with the Phoenix jumping out to a 3-1 lead early. Washington State built a four point lead before Elon rallied within one, 22-21, on the back of a kill by senior outside hitter Megan Gravley. The Phoenix then tied the score at 24 with a kill from freshman outside hitter Kam Terry, but the Cougars would ultimately hold on for the win, 26-24.
Gravley finished the game with nine kills, while junior outside hitter Ebony Scott tallied eight in her first game for the Phoenix. Sophomore setter Sydel Curry had 20 assists on the day, and senior setter Ana Nicksic added another 14. Junior defensive specialist Morgan Maner led the team with 13 digs. Elon finished the day with a total of 44 points across three sets.
The loss marks the Phoenix’s first of the season. Elon returns to action on August 29 at the Virginia Tech Invitational with a pair of games- first at noon against co-host Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., and again at 7 p.m. against the other co-host, Radford, back in Radford, Va..