DANVILLE, Va. — The Washington and Lee volleyball team hit under .200 as a team for the first time this season in a 3-0 loss at Averett on Friday at the Cougar Classic.
 
The Cougars (2-0) jumped out to a 5-1 advantage in the first set, but the Generals (2-1) eventually trimmed the deficit to 15-14 on a kill by sophomore outside hitter Sydney Heifner (Nashville, Tenn./Harpeth Hall). The spread was 19-17 a few rallies later, but Averett won the next three points and six of the next eight to claim the set, 25-19.
 
In the second, the Cougars led, 19-16, late in the set and then closed out the second with a 6-1 run to win the frame, 25-17. The Blue and White trailed, 19-15, in the third, but won five straight points, capped on a kill by Heifner, to assume a 20-19 lead. Averett answered with four consecutive points to regain a three-point edge (23-20).
 
The Generals then won four of the next five points to tie the score, 24-24. A kill by first-year outside hitter Avery Myers (New York, N.Y./Poly Prep Country Day School) gave W&L an opportunity for set point, but the Cougars claimed three straight rallies to secure the set, 27-25, and the match, 3-0.  
 
Heifner led the team with 13 kills and eight digs. Myers notched eight kills and 11 digs. Junior defensive specialist Caroline Gard (Naperville, Ill./Benet Academy) led the team with 15 digs. Junior setter Ashley Webb (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Westlake) had 22 assists.
 
The Blue and White totaled 33 kills and 13 errors on 123 attempts for a .163 hitting percentage. Averett had 48 kills and 13 errors on 120 swings for a .292 hitting percentage.
 
Senior outside hitter Sarah Shropshire tallied 12 kills on a .526 hitting percentage to pace the Cougars, while junior outside hitter Lauren Montren had eight kills and 15 digs. Sophomore defensive specialist Erin Gray registered a match-high 22 digs.

The loss ends an 18-match winning streak for the Blue and White, dating back to March 13. It was the longest winning streak for the program since a program record 25-match winning streak in 2007.
 
The Generals play two more matches at the classic on Saturday. W&L takes on Piedmont at 9:00 am and William Peace at 3:00 pm.