Box Score

Demorest, GA -- The Piedmont College volleyball team used an enthusiastic crowd and a total team effort to claim a 3-1 victory in their home opener over the visiting Vikings of Berry College earlier this evening.  The win avenges a pair of 3-1 losses to Berry from the 2010 season as the 2011 Lady Lions made it clear that they would be celebrating in front of the home fans winning a tight fourth set in tie break fashion to up the drama.

"Seeing a great crowd on hand was wonderful especially for our home opener," said Feldman of the night's action. "Berry made some good defensive adjustments as the match went on, but it was nice to see our team make some adjustments as well to handle that.  It's a great win for our team, something we can build on."

Set one was all Lady Lions to start as the squad held an 18-9 advantage at one point before allowing Berry back in it as the Vikings closed to within four points at 24-20.  However, junior Hallye Jerkins would hand the Lady Lions the opening set with one of her team-high 12 kills with the next rally as PC opened up a 1-0 lead. 

The second set was a different verse but same as the first with Piedmont winning 25-16 in dominating fashion giving the home crowd another dose of PC volleyball.  However, the Vikings came through to pull off a 25-19 winner in the third set to cut Piedmont's overall margin in half at two sets to one with a fourth set approaching.

It was in that crunch time that the Lady Lions would get a true test of their resolve with the fourth set staying tight throughout as neither team led by more than four points with the two tying up 14 different times.  On that 14th tie of the set as both teams amassed 24 points a piece, the fans got on their feet sensing the epic showdown that could possibly determine the match's winner.

With Jerkins having already tallied her 12 kills on the night by this point, it was Head Coach Sid Feldman's balanced attack that would take over as freshman Jennifer Opper's next attack turned into the kill the Lady Lions needed for a one point advantage at 25-24.  With the Vikings on the edge of defeat, senior Rachel Powell then swept around the right side on the next rally to blast a slide past the Berry block for the deciding match point as PC won 3-1 over their in-state rival. 

Behind Jerkins' 12 kills was freshman Kaitlin Norman who posted ten kills of her own while Powell and newcomer Katie Byrd came close behind with seven.  Defensviely, junior Paige Eslinger surpassed 900 career digs with a career performance on the night tallying 31 digs against the Vikings, the second 30-plus dig performance on the season for the Ringgold native.

Helping to guide the offensive barrage for PC was a pair of setters in Katheryn Knarr and Ashton Nash who combined for 41 assists on the night with 27 of them coming from Knarr.  The win helps keep the 2011 volleyball squad's hopes alive for attaining the best start in PC's NCAA era as their 9-1 start is currently even with the 2007 squad who also went 9-1 to open the season.  One more victory would give the 2011 squad a spot amongst the program's elite while two more would set them apart from the rest.

"The sum of the parts is really greater than the whole in this instance," stated Feldman. "Our specialization has really been the key to our success, everyone knows their role whether it's who is passing, hitting, digging.  It's been really great watching it come together."

The 3-1 win moves Piedmont to 9-1 overall and also keeps alive a seven-game winning streak.  The Lady Lions will get back in action this weekend when they host a Saturday tri-match with Agnes Scott College and Toccoa Falls College coming to campus.  The September 17th playdate will kickoff with Piedmont taking on Great South Athletic Conference member Agnes Scott at noon.