COLORADO SPRINGS, Col. --- The Moravian University women's volleyball program went 1-1 on the first day of the 2021 Molten Spike It Up Classic held at Colorado College, suffering a 3-1 loss to Howard Payne (Texas) University, then defeated Belhaven (Miss.) University, 3-1.

How It Happened – Howard Payne (Texas) Match

• The Greyhounds scored first on a service ace, before allowing the Yellow Jackets to get on the board. Moravian would tally three straight points, but Howard Payne would counter with three of their own to tie it at 4-4. The Blue & Grey fell behind for the first time at 10-9, and would trail by as many as five, 18-13 before surging back to claim the opening set 25-23.
• Howard Payne would claim the first point of set two before the Greyhounds scored five straight points to take a 5-1 lead. Moravian would extend their lead to six points, 9-3 before the Yellow Jackets started to charge back, scoring eight-consecutive points, taking a 14-11 lead. Howard Payne would capture the second set, 25-17, and tie the match at 1-1.
• A close-contested third set saw the Yellow Jackets and Greyhounds go point-for-point, with Howard Payne leading 9-8. Howard Payne would extend their lead to six points on multiple occasions and ultimately take the third set, 25-19, and take a 2-1 lead in the contest.
• Howard Payne fired off five-consecutive points in the fourth set, but Moravian rally and tied the set at 12-12. The Greyhounds would hold a three-point lead down the stretch, but the Yellow Jackets earned four-straight points and both squads were tied at 20-20. Tied once again at 22-22, the Greyhounds were not able to close it out, as Howard Payne won set four, 25-23, and defeated Moravian 3-1.

How It Happened – Belhaven (Miss.) Match

• Both squads would exchange points, being tied 7-7 before the Blazers scored seven-straight points to take a 14-7 lead. The Greyhounds would climb all the way back to tie the contest at 16-16, and again five more times, at 22-22. Moravian held on to claim the first set 25-23.
• In the second set, the Blue and Grey scored the first three points, before Belhaven tied it at 3-3. Moravian extended their lead to four points on multiple occasions, but the Blazers would fight back and tie the score at 23-23. Moravian scored the final two points of the set to take a 2-0 lead in the match, winning 25-23.
• Belhaven and Moravian would go back-and-forth, being tied at 10-10 before the Blazers started to pull away and won the set 25-15 to force a fourth set.
• Continuing to trade points, both squads were within two points until the Greyhounds extended to the lead to four points, but Belhaven scored six consecutive points to take an 11-9 lead. Extending the lead, Belhaven was up 14-11, but the Blue and Grey would surge to even the score at 17-17. The Blazers two a two-point lead at 22-20 before Moravian scored the final five points to close out the set, 25-22, and the match, defeating Belhaven 3-1.

Inside the Numbers

• Senior outside hitter Kirah Dreisbach led Moravian with 26 kills, while adding 26 digs, four services aces and an assist.
• Senior Renee Mapa contributed 15 kills, an ace, and a block assist while junior libero Gabby Mancini added 28 digs, two assists and a block assist.
• Senior outside hitter Sela Herber finished with 13 kills, 15 digs and two service aces.
• Freshman middle blocker Jenna Deegan contributed 14 kills and four block assists
• Junior setter Natalia Matos led the Greyhounds with 60 assists, 16 digs, an, and a block assist.

Up Next for the Greyhounds

• Saturday, September 11 vs. Occidental (Calif.) College, 6:00 p.m. EDT
• Saturday, September 11 at No. 4 Colorado College, 8:00 p.m. EDT