SALEM, Va. -- The Meredith College volleyball team opened the 2021 fall schedule with a 3-1 (16-25, 25-10, 25-16, 26-24) at Roanoke in the Cregger Center on Wednesday night.

The Avenging Angels start off their fall slate at 1-0, while the Maroons drop to 0-1 to kick off the season. This is the eighth time in the last 10 seasons that MC has opened its season with a win.

Paving the way offensively for the Avenging Angels was Whitney Bolton who tallied 14 kills to go along with a pair of digs and a block. Avery Bowman recorded eight kills, 21 assists and 14 digs, while Martin-Maine Wrangell had seven kills and a pair of blocks in her collegiate debut.

Defensively, Lauren Phillips finished with a game-high 24 digs and added three assists and a service ace. Lauren Bissette finished with eight kills on a .400 hitting percentage and dropped in six total blocks (four solo) in the victory. 

For the Maroons, Linsey Bailey was the only player with a double-digit kill total as she finished with 19 to go with 14 digs for a double-double. Kennedy Clemmer finished with 18 digs, while Olivia Newman and Logan Pasley registered 18 assists and 15 assists, respectively. 

Roanoke struck at just .118 as a team, while the Avenging Angels finished with a .237 team hitting percentage. MC also tallied seven service aces in the win. 

Additionally, Sara Dees added six kills on .333 hitting with a dig, an assist and four total blocks in her first game with Meredith and Ali Polidori struck five kills in her collegiate debut, as well.

The Avenging Angels return to action on Friday, Sept. 3, against Geneva at the first day of the Marlin Invitational, hosted by Virginia Wesleyan, beginning at 5 pm.

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