Scots Fall to Greenville on Friday

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (10/07/2023) — The Monmouth College volleyball team fell 3-0 (25-15. 25-23, 25-13) in a non-conference match against Greenville University on Friday. The Scots are now 8-9 on the season and have a week off before returning to conference play next Friday.

Greenville won the opening point before the Scots won the next four points. CeCe Palladino (Volo, Illinois) had a solo block and a block assist with Layne Wright (Davenport Iowa), Amanda Dybal (Apex, North Carolina) had two kills as the Scots built a 6-3 lead. The Panthers responded with a run to go up 11-7. The teams traded points until Greenville used another run to go up 21-13. Alana Robertson (Mapleton, Illinois) got a block but the Panthers finished off the set at 25-15.

Monmouth built a 5-2 lead in the second set with early kills from Zoe Nizzia (Pekin, Illinois) and Wright. Nizzia added two more kills as Monmouth led 9-6. The lead extended to four on a Greenville error but the Panthers tied the set at 13 and then took the lead. Nizzia tied the set with a kill and two Monmouth blocks regained the lead for the Scots at 17-16. The set was tied again at 18 before two Greenville errors gave Monmouth a 20-18 lead. Greenville won three straight points before a kill by Wright. The set was tied at 21, 22 and 23 before the Panthers won two straight points to win the set 25-23.

The teams traded points in the early part of the third set before the Scots won consecutive points for a 4-2 lead. The set was tied four times early before Greenville went on a mini-run for a 11-7 lead. Monmouth won three straight points after a timeout, including an ace from Paige Bergschneider (Alexander, Illinois). The Panthers went up 14-12 and then rattled off three straight and eventually pushed the lead to 24-13. A ninth straight point clinched the match 25-13.

Wright led the Scots with seven kills while Nizzia had six. Savannah Robinson (Delavan, Illinois) led the Scots with 22 digs while Bergschneider led the team with 16 assists. Palladino had three blocks assists and a solo block while Robertson had two solo blocks. Bergschneider had Monmouth's only ace of the match.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Monmouth lost to Greenville 3-1 at the North Central Invite on Sept. 8The second set featured 10 ties and four lead changesBergschneider returned to action for the first time since Sept. 8The Scots welcomed back multiple alumni as part of Homecoming Weekend for Alumni NightFormer Monmouth volleyball player Kendra James will be inducted into the M Club Hall of Fame on SaturdayThe Scots next play at nationally ranked Cornell next Friday.The next home game is Tuesday, Oct. 31 against Eureka.