WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL PICKS UP FIRST WIN OF 2025, SPLITS DOUBLEHEADER

ELGIN, Ill. – After falling in a five-set heartbreaker on Friday, Avila women's volleyball bounced back on Saturday afternoon, picking up their first win, 3-1, over Trinity Christian and dropping a three-set match to Grand View in the second end of the doubleheader.

In the opening match, Avila took three of four sets – all four of which were closely-contested.

Neither team led by more than three for the duration of the first set. Avila trailed 20-16 late in the set before rattling off six-straight points and nine of 11 overall to come from behind to secure the opener, 25-22, off a set-winning kill from Megan Davies.

Avila took the second set in another competitive frame. The Eagles trailed 15-12 midway through the set before kills by Payton Hofer and Davies set up a service ace from Alyssa Jones gave Avila a 3-0 run to tie the match.

Trailing 20-18, Avila notched the set win with an initial 5-0 run and eventual 7-2 set-winning run punctuated by a Sydney Owens kill. A 25-21 second set gave Avila a 2-0 lead over Trinity Christian.

Set No. 3 went the Trolls' way with a back-and-forth frame. Neither team held more than a four-point lead before Trinity Christian wrapped it up with a 29-27 win to force a fourth set.

Coming off a five-set thriller less than 24 hours before, the Eagles wanted to wrap up the match in the fourth.

After dropping the first point, Avila would not trail the rest of the way. Getting out to an early 6-2 lead with three service aces and a pair of Maddie Jones kills, Avila was on its way, wrapping up a 25-22 fourth-set and taking the match, 3-1.

Da'Mya Dickson (21) and Sydney Martin (19) led Avila with double-digit assists, while Alyssa Jones' five services aces were a team-high. Sophia Giorgio (14) and Sydney Owens (12) each put up double-figures in the digs column.

The second match of the day for Avila did not go as well as the first, falling 3-0 to Grand View.

Avila fell 25-13, 25-10 and 25-16 in three sets after a hard-fought four-set victory moments before taking on the Vikings.

Avila is back on the court at Mission on Wednesday evening at 6 PM before playing four matches next weekend at the College of the Ozarks Volleyball Classic on Friday and Saturday.