FROM STAFF REPORTS

The University of Montevallo volleyball team split a pair of matches on the opening day of the Christian Brothers University Invitational.

Montevallo fell to the host, Christian Brothers, 3-0 in the opening match of the day before rebounding for a 3-1 win over the University of West Georgia.

Freshman Michelle Walker led the Falcons in both matches, going for 23 total kills over the two matches. Senior Rachel Wotitzky had a standout performance at libero in the second match picking up 30 digs, which left her one dig short of the top four in the Falcons’ record book for digs in a four-game match.

Walker had eight kills, eight digs and a pair of blocks in the loss to Christian Brothers, while sophomore Michelle Carle chipped in seven kills and four blocks.

Freshman Katie Best, a Spain Park High School graduate, picked up six kills and a pair of blocks in the opening match as well. Wotitzky led the team in digs with nine while junior Betsy Stevenson chipped in eight to go along with her 26 assists.

The Falcons fell in straight-sets 25-21, 25-10, 28-26.

In the second match of the day Walker led with her first double-digit kill match of her career with 15 kills, five digs and a pair of blocks. Walker also had a standout .438 hitting percentage. Carle and sophomore Manyi Ati chipped in 12 kills each. Best also picked up her first double-digit kill match with 11 and had an amazing .733 hitting percentage.

Stevenson picked up 51 assists in the match while Wotitzky dug up her career-high 30 digs. Sophomore Kaleigh Harvey chipped in 10 digs as well.
The Falcons won the first two sets before dropping the third and finally winning the fourth in the 25-22, 25-21, 19-25, 25-22 win.

Montevallo will return to action tomorrow at the CBU Invitational as they take on Ouachita Baptist and Henderson State at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.