ANDERSON, S.C. – Behind the third-highest hitting percentage of the season and using a balanced offensive attack, the Anderson University volleyball team ran its win streak to 11 matches with a 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 25-21) South Atlantic conference victory over Catawba, Saturday afternoon at the Abney Athletic Center.  

"We got some really good play from a lot of different players today and that's what you want to see from your roster," said Anderson head coach Todd Hay. "Mallory [McFerron] was especially solid on the right side as both an attacker and blocker. Our mindset needs to be a bit tougher at the start of matches.  This makes three in a row that we have had a slow start. With Queens and Wingate coming in next week, we need to fix that sooner rather than later."

Anderson (16-3, 10-1 SAC) opened the second half of its conference round-robin slate by extending its home win streak to 10 matches dating back to last year and swept the season series with the Lady Indians. With the victory, Hay captured his 100th career win at the collegiate level. 

"Any time you reach a coaching milestone it is special, but it also means you've had a lot a special players and institutions that have helped you get there," added Hay. "Many thanks to all of my current and former players who believed in me to be their coach - especially Rachel Moran, who has been with me on both sides of court."

Catawba fell to 3-12 overall and 1-10 in conference action by dropping its 10th straight decision.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Senior outside hitter Marissa Mitter led all players with 12 kills and added 10 digs for her eighth double-double of the year, while junior outside hitter Jayln Knight posted 11 kills and chipped in eight digs. Senior right-side hitter Mallory McFerron notched a career-high 10 kills on a .304 hitting percentage and added three block assists.

Senior middle blocker Rachel Burts recorded seven kills and a pair of block assists in two sets, while committing just one error in nine attempts for a .667 attack percentage. Sophomore setter Emily Conlin handed out 41 assists and narrowly missed her 11th double-double with nine digs. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
McFerron led the Trojans with five kills and the Trojans started slowly but finished with a .325 hitting percentage in the opening frame.

The Lady Indians scored the first two points of the set, with AU countering to tie the score twice early. But Catawba doubled up AU, 6-3, and held a 9-6 advantage before Burts' second kill of the set gave the Trojans their first lead at 10-9. The lead was short-lived however, and the score was knotted two more times before Mitter knocked down a kill to give AU the lead for good while igniting a 6-1 run. Knight and Jackson capped the surge by combining on a block.

The Trojans pushed out to a late eight-point lead and held that margin at the close of the set.          

Second Set
McFerron's first kill of the second set snapped a 4-4 deadlock and sparked a run of 10 unanswered points, as the Trojans built a double-digit lead. Burts and Conlin combined for a pair of block assists during the breakout, while Conlin added a kill and Burts notched three kills.     

AU edged out to a 19-7 lead – its' largest of the set on another kill by Mitter and the Trojans went on to claim the double-digit win.

Third Set
The Trojans erupted for the first eight points of the third set, but Catawba countered with eight straight points of its own to knot the score for the first of three times. 

After AU regained the lead with two straight points, the Lady Indians countered with five straight points to take their first lead of the frame.

Catawba held the advantage until the Trojans capitalized on back-to-back attack errors by the Lady Indians to claim a 17-16 edge and held the lead the rest of the way. 

NOTES
• Knight has three double-doubles on the season and has reached double-digit kills four times.
• Mitter has eight double-doubles on the season, including two of the last three matches.
• Conlin has recorded 10 double-doubles this season and has dished out 40+ assists on eight occasions.
• AU has swept its last five opponents and nine of 11 foes during the win streak.
• Burts has recorded a .418 hitting percentage over the last four matches.
• Jackson has averaged nearly six kills and more than two blocks over the last three matches and is in 11th place in the AU record books with 184 career blocks.
• Jackson has posted a .333 hitting percentage over the last four contests
• The Trojans rank eighth in the nation with a .104 opponent's hitting percentage.
• AU is 20th in the country with 13.07 assists per set.
• Conlin ranks 12th nationally with 11.47 assists per set.
• Burts is 30th in the nation with a .364 hitting percentage. 

UP NEXT
Anderson will be looking to keep the streak alive when the Trojans welcome Queens to the Electric City on Tuesday. First-serve versus the Royals is set for 7 p.m.