ELKINS, W.Va. – An energetic start for Davis & Elkins pushed the team to a 3-1 victory over West Virginia State on Monday night in the home opener.
Davis & Elkins (3-0) took the match in set scores of 25-22, 25-19, 24-26, 25-21.
Macie Magallon notched a game-high 21 kills, adding 16 digs and three block assists.
Molly Jandris added 16 kills, one ace and 13 digs.
Mya Mintschenko chipped in three kills and was stout at the net with six block assists, while
Brilane Manchego had 43 assists in the win.
West Virginia State (2-1) was paced by Jenna Dufrense, who had a team-high 19 kills and 21 points. Peri Martin passed out 35 assists for the Yellow Jackets and Rachelle Madison posted 16 digs.
Playing its first home match since November 2019, Davis & Elkins pounced to a 2-0 lead before the Yellow Jackets began to hit their stride. The stats were relatively even as the Senators held an edge in points (68-58), kills (56-46), assists (46-43) and digs (91-71).
Set One: Davis & Elkins 25, West Virginia State 22
D&E posted a 4-1 lead to begin the set and things were tightly contested from there. Tied at 17, D&E posted six of the next seven points, including kills from
Luann O'Kane and Jandris, for a 23-18 edge. The Yellow Jackets chipped away with the next three points to make things interesting before two attack errors ultimately capped the frame in favor of the Senators.
Set Two: Davis & Elkins 25, West Virginia State 19
Both sides traded points to knot the score at 10 before Davis & Elkins reeled off a 7-1 run for a 17-11 lead. The Yellow Jackets worked back to within 18-16 until a 5-1 spurt pushed D&E ahead 23-17. Magallon and Bianna Portley capped the surge with consecutive kills to swing momentum to the hosts before Jandris and Manchego had kills for the final two points of the set.
Set Three: West Virginia State 26, Davis & Elkins 24
Three consecutive points handed D&E a 9-6 advantage, one the Senators would expand to 17-11. Two kills from Jandris along with four WVSU attack errors put D&E in a great spot for a sweep. The Yellow Jackets responded with their backs against the wall, reeling off the five consecutive points to tie the score at 21.
Jandris cracked a kill for a 23-21 lead before the Yellow Jackets posted the next three points to take a 24-23 lead. Another Jandris kill extended the set for D&E, but two kills from Dufresne pushed the Yellow Jackets to an extended set three victory.
Set Four: Davis & Elkins 25, West Virginia State 21
D&E raced out to a 3-0 advantage and added four more points for a 7-1 lead. The Yellow Jackets eventually tied the set at eight and things remained back-and-forth. A pair of points tied and pushed WVSU in front, 21-20, until D&E fired back with the final five points of the night.
Portley had a kill and Magallon rifled in four kills during the final charge.
Up Next
Davis & Elkins is back home on Friday, February 12 for a matchup with Glenville State at 7:00 PM from the McDonnell Center.
