Scores:
Meredith 3, Gordon 0 (25-10, 25-23, 26-24)
Virginia Wesleyan 3, Meredith 2 (22-25, 21-25, 25-17, 25-14, 15-11)

RALEIGH, N.C.  – The Meredith volleyball team earned a split on the final day of action of the 2025 Raleigh Invitational, which concluded on Saturday afternoon. The Avenging Angels capped off a three-set victory over Gordon (25-10, 25-23, 26-24) before suffering a hard-fought five-set setback to Virginia Wesleyan by scores of 22-25, 21-25, 25-17, 25-14, 15-11. 

Meredith 3, Gordon 0

Caitlyn Russell led a well-balanced Meredith attack, which closed with 41 kills (.250 attack percentage), by closing with a match-high 14 kills as the Avenging Angels posted the three-set win over Gordon by scores of 25-10, 25-23, 26-24 on Saturday afternoon. 

The Meredith defense was led by the backrow tandem of Megan Murray (16) and Russell (13), who reached double-digit digs. Meanwhile, the front row of Russell (two assisted blocks) and Kinley Copeland (two assisted / two solo blocks) held Gordon to 33 kills (.156 attack pct.). 

FIRST SET: The Avenging Angels came out firing on all cylinders, posting a .462 attack percentage with 15 kills to their credit. Meredith established a 10-point lead behind two service aces from Caroline Prease and two kills off the hand of Caitlyn Russell. Russell continued her onslaught of the Gordon defense, extending the Meredith lead to 18-6. Gordon reached double figures, but Amanda Pierce provided the game-winning point in serve. 

SECOND SET: Gordon retaliated with 16 kills and a .316 attack percentage in the second, but Meredith prevailed and assumed a 2-0 advantage with a 25-23 win. Slams from Reagan Kresho and Lillie Davis opened the door for a 10-3 lead for the Avenging Angels. Gordon capped off a 6-3 rally, highlighted by kills from Haley Hutzler, by pulling within three on a slam from Morgan Bruner. After watching its lead trimmed to one, 14-13, Meredith got timely kills from Kinley Copeland and Kresho, opening an 18-15 lead in the process. Sensing the opportunity to close out the second set, Meredith used kills from Russell and Kresho to solidify the win. 

THIRD SET: Gordon established itself in the early stages of the match, assuming a 13-7 advantage, but the Avenging Angels rallied to even the set at 14-all. Meredith assumed the lead, 18-17, on a slam from Hailey Evans. However, Gordon would not go away and fought back to regain a slight one-point lead, 23-22, on a kill by Hutzler. With the set deadlocked at 24, Evans and Kresho delivered back-to-back slams and secured the two-point victory for the Avenging Angels. 

Virginia Wesleyan 3, Meredith 2

The Avenging Angels' offense was led by the tandem of Caitlyn Russell and Reagan Kresho, who closed with 12 and 10 kills, respectively. Kresho was effective throughout the match, committing just one error in 22 attacks, posting a .409 attack percentage. 

Megan Murray led the way for the Meredith back row with 21 digs, while teammate Maddie Aveline was also active with 10 digs. Meanwhile, Kinley Copeland posted two solo blocks for the front row. 

Virginia Wesleyan finished with three players in double-digit kills, including Alexis Shaw, who posted a match-high 17. Teammate Brianna Clay drove home 15 kills, boasting a .419 attack percentage for the Marlins. Hannah Smith anchored the back row with 26 digs to lead the defensive attack. 

FIRST SET: The two teams battled throughout the opening set of the match, where Virginia Wesleyan enjoyed a 14-10 advantage at just over the midway point of the opening frame. However, Meredith rallied to even the contest at 18-all. The Avenging Angels continued to make their push for the lead as the set reached a 22-22 deadlock. After a series of unforced errors by Virginia Wesleyan, Daven Brabble slammed the door with a kill on a pass from Lillie Davis for the decisive point. 

SECOND SET: Facing an 18-14 deficit, Meredith responded with kills by Delaney Lowery and Russell, along with three service aces off the hand of Lillie Davis, to assume a 24-20 lead. The Marlins answered with one point, but it was a slam from Kresho that provided Meredith with the 2-0 advantage. The Avenging Angels capped off the frame with 10 kills and five service aces, highlighting the win. 

THIRD SET: Facing a 2-0 deficit and a 12-all deadlock in the third set, Virginia Wesleyan responded with a 5-1 run, highlighted by two kills and a service ace from Hannah Smith. The Marlins surrendered just four points over the duration of the match, while using kills by Clay and Shaw to complete the eight-point win. Virginia Wesleyan notched 11 kills in the set, while Meredith tallied seven. 

FOURTH SET: Virginia Wesleyan carried the momentum from the third set victory into the fourth, streaking out to a 10-6 advantage on a series of slams from Clay. Despite kills from Russell and Copeland, the Marlins stretched the lead to 20-11 on a slam off the hand of Shaw. Clay had two kills down the stretch, evening the match at two-all following the 25-14 triumph. The Marlins posted a .481 attack percentage in the frame, capitalizing on 16 kills, while Meredith posted 10. 

FIFTH SET: The Marlins completed their come-from-behind win with a 15-11 victory in the fifth and decisive set. Knotted at 9-9, Virginia Wesleyan scored six of the final eight points of the match, including kills from Delaney Lowery and Clay, to keep their perfect record intact.