Ole Miss volleyball starts season with win

Published 10:35 pm Friday, August 26, 2016

GRAND FORKS, N.D. — With a couple of new faces mixed in with some veterans, the Ole Miss volleyball team used a balanced attack in its season opener Friday to defeat UC Davis 3-1 at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.

Double-doubles by senior setter Aubrey Edie and junior outside hitters Kate Gibson and Lexi Thompson paced the Rebels to the 25-20, 23-25, 25-14, 25-19 win. It marked the third straight season-opening win under head coach Steven McRoberts.

The Rebels went on an 8-2 run to build a 16-10 lead midway through set one. The Aggies pulled to within two, 18-16, before Ole Miss went on a 7-4 run to close out the set 25-20.

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Ole Miss led by five early in set two, and hit .333, but UC Davis rallied to take the set 25-23 to even the match. In set three, the Rebels gained the early advantage on a .343 clip and never relinquished it, winning 25-14 to take a 2-1 lead overall.

Trailing 2-5 early in set four, the Rebels won 10 straight points on solid serving by Kathryn Cather to take a 12-5 lead. UC Davis could only get as close as five the rest of the way, as the Rebels closed out the set 25-19 and the match.