Box Score
LEAD
WATERTOWN, Wis.-- It was a marathon five set match, but the Sabercats finally got their first win of the season, topping NCCAA Midwest regional rivals on a night to remember at the Maranatha campus.
Layla Damotte led the way for the Sabercats, having a career night with 15 kills and 29 digs, while three other Sabercats scored career highs on the evening.
OVERVIEW
- Result: Maranatha 3-2 (RV) Moody (25-17, 19-25, 17-25, 25-12, 19-17)
- Venue: Maranatha Baptist University
- Location: Watertown, Wis.
- Records: MBU (1-20), MBI (7-8)
STORY
The first set was all about the Sabercats, as they wasted no time taking a commanding 12-5 lead. The Sabercats maintained a steady lead throughout the frame, and 5 kills in the last half of the set from Layla Damotte propelled the Sabercats to a 25-17 win.
However, the Archers aimed to turn the tables in set 2. Despite 3 late-set kills from Layla Damotte, early errors from the Sabercats gave the Archers too big of a lead to surmount. The Archers took a 25-19 win of their own to square the match up at 1 set a piece.
Fast forward to set three and errors still plagued the Sabercats early on. However, service aces from Callie Pittsenbarger, Lily Snow, and Layla Damotte breathed life back into the Sabercats offense, as they clawed their way back into the game. The score sat at 19-16, and the Sabercats were poised to finish off their comeback, but the Archers had other plans. They went on to score the last 6 points of the game, while allowing the Sabercats just one.
The fourth set, however, proved to be a different story. Tension was thick in the gymnasium, and the Sabercats came back with a vengeance. After a bit of a rocky start, the Sabercats went on a 5 point run, giving themselves a solid 16-6 lead over the Archers. Callie Pittsenbarger began to pile up digs like a hoarder, Layla Damotte swung like there was no tomorrow, and Lily Snow was dishing out assists like candy. After some back and forth scoring between both teams, Eileen Botha and Lilly Broere each buried 2 kills to give the Sabercats another 4 point run. As Layla Damotte delivered the final kill of the fourth set, the Sabercats evened the set score at 2-2.
The energy in the gym was electric as the abbreviated fifth set commenced, but things didn't look promising for the Sabercats. Finding themselves in a 5-11 deficit, the Sabercats refused to go down without a fight. A service error from Maci Bailey was just the break the Sabercats needed, and they capitalized on it, clawing their way back to a 14-14 tie game. Scoring went back and forth, with neither team able to gain a two point advantage over the other to take the match. Finally, Sara Fitz-Henry landed a service ace to seal the deal and give the Sabercats the 19-17 win, capping off a night that the Sabercats won't soon forget.
MBU Starters: 3- Scalzitti, 6- Botha (C), 7- Pittsenbarger (Libero), 9- Hinze (C), 14- Anderson, 15- Smith, 17- Damotte
STATS
- Damotte 15K*, 29D*, 2SA
- Hinze 10K, 2D
- Broere 7K
- Anderson 7K
- Botha 4K, 5D
- Snow 22A*, 8D
- Scalzitti 15A, 11D
- Pittsenbarger 30D*
- Fitz-Henry 18D*
- All-time Series: Maranatha leads the Moody series 30-4
*career high
OPPONENTS
- Moody competes with Maranatha in Midwest Region (NCCAA DII)
NEXT
The Sabercats stay at home and play Great Lakes on Saturday for a 3:00 p.m. start time. Follow all the action at mbusabercats.com/calendar.
