The Trojan volleyball team played its final home matches in Trojan Arena last weekend, winning Friday and losing Saturday.
Friday night’s 3-2 win over Appalachian State marked the first time that the Trojans (8-21, 2-10 Sun Belt) have ever defeated the Mountaineers in volleyball.
Troy put away Appalachian State (3-21, 1-10 Sun Belt) in five sets that were defined by multiple lead changes and short runs. Those runs proved to be the difference makers in the Trojans’ victory.
The first set was decided by a 7-0 Mountaineers run to get a 25-20 win. Troy responded by finishing the second set on an 8-2 run and winning that set 25-21.
Troy jumped out to a 9-4 lead in the third set and held on to a tight 25-23 win, while set four went back to Appalachian State 25-22. In the final set, Troy went on a 4-0 run with the score tied at nine.
A kill from middle hitter Logan Page captured the match victory.
Senior Sara Landis led the team with 18 kills, with five in the second set. Landis and senior Symone Shaw led the late run that clinched the second set for the Trojans.
Redshirt freshman setter Kiara Barrett provided offensive support and strong defense throughout the match, recording 23 assists, 13 digs and her third double-double of the year.
With two consecutive wins under their belt, the Trojans played host to Coastal Carolina, the Sun Belt east division leader, on Saturday.
The Chanticleers (19-4, 10-1 Sun Belt) made quick work of the Trojans, winning three sets in a match that was over an hour shorter than the Appalachian State match.
The Trojans never held a lead in the match and struggled to score against the stout Coastal Carolina defense.
“We knew that they were really, really good coming in with everyone that they had played and beaten in the preseason and what they have done in the conference,” Troy Head Coach Sonny Kirkpatrick said. “We didn’t play badly; they just played better than we did.”
Troy lost the first set 25-15 after falling behind 12-4. The Trojans hit just .028 in the set, converting nine of 36 kill attempts and committing nine errors.
The second set showed little improvement from the Trojans, who fell 25-13. Troy had 26 kill attempts and converted only eight of them.
Set No. 3 ended in a 25-15 Chanticleer win to clinch the match. The set was the most efficient set for Coastal Carolina, as it notched 17 kills on 31 attempts while committing just two errors.
Landis recorded five kills in the match, but none bigger than her third — career kill No. 500.
Shaw led the team with nine kills, while junior Reina Terry filled the stat sheet with 17 assists, four digs, a kill and zero errors.
The Trojans will head to Louisiana to take on the Warhawks of ULM on Friday night. Start time is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
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