by Jules Gonsoulin
sports editor
The Millsaps volleyball team dropped a four-set match to Birmingham Southern in the Southern Athletic Association semi-finals Saturday to finish its season at 22-6. Even though they were unable to claim the SAA championship, the women still completed one of the most successful volleyball seasons in recent history, losing only six matches and registering long, exciting win streaks. The team roped the Millsaps population into the drama and packed the Hangar Dome every time it played at home.
Captain Taylor Ziegler directed the team on offense, accounting for 10 digs. Co-captain Caroline McKey also had her shining moments—she had 12 kills and 23 digs, and was named to the all-tournament team after the match. Courtney Huie led the team in kills, dominating with 14.
On Friday, the Majors swept Oglethorpe in the opening round of the tournament. Huie led the offense with 12 kills, and Lexus Andrews anchored the defense with 19 digs. An important statistic from this matchup was the balance on offense. Under McKey’s leadership, the Majors were able to distribute the ball and allow four players to have at least six kills. Service from Millsaps was also stellar, as Ashley Zamjahn, Taylor Ziegler and Presley Stoltzfus all registered aces.
Like the men’s soccer team, the women were expected to win three games in three days. While they did not accomplish this lofty goal, their solid performance kept the door open for an at-large bid to the NCAA national tournament—they are waiting to find out if they will be tournament-bound.