MARYVILLE, Tenn. – The Washington and Lee volleyball team dropped a pair of games in its season opening day on Friday. The Generals fell to Rhodes College in five sets (14-25, 25-16, 25-14, 20-25, 13-15) and to Maryville College (21-25, 20-25, 25-20, 20-25).
 
The Lynx opened up the game by taking the first set 25-14 after a 15-8 start to the match. The Generals turned right around to take the next two sets (25-16, 25-14). After taking a 2-1, lead the Lynx took the fourth set, 25-20, to send the game into a fifth set.
 
The fifth set started with the Lynx taking a 7-4 lead early. The Generals bounced back after the flip with four straight points to pull ahead 8-7. The Generals held the lead to a 12-11 advantage but, after three straight points by Rhodes, the Generals had their backs to the wall, 14-12. Rhodes continued on to win the set, 15-13, to claim the match, 3-2.
 
The Generals were led by junior Sydney Heifner (Nashville, Tenn. / Harpeth Hall) who finished with 11 kills and two assists. Senior setter Ashley Webb (Thousand Oaks, Calif. / Westlake) posted 31 assists against the Lynxes.
 
The Blue and White turned right around to play host school Maryville College in game two of the day. A quick start by the Scots found the hosts ahead, 2-0 (25-21, 25-20).
 
After falling behind early in the third set, the Generals bounced back in the third set with a 25-21 set victory. Maryville then held off the Generals in set four to take the game 3-1.
 
First-year outside hitter Lillie Holcomb (Greensboro, N.C. / Western Guilford) posted 17 kills against the Scots, tallying a .359 hitting percentage. Webb totaled 29 assists in game two action. First-year libero Penelope Quiles (San Antonio, Texas / Antonian College Prep) notched 22 digs in the matchup.
 
The Generals return to action tomorrow for day two of the invitational starting at 2 p.m. against Johnson (Tenn.). Read Full Article