Mackenzie Garner at Haverford 9/13/16
David Sinclair
0
Rowan ROW 2-8
3
Winner Elizabethtown ETOWN 4-7
Rowan ROW
2-8
0
Final
3
Elizabethtown ETOWN
4-7
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Rowan ROW 24 18 23 (0)
Elizabethtown ETOWN 26 25 25 (3)
3
Winner Messiah MESS 10-1
0
Elizabethtown ETOWN 4-8
Winner
Messiah MESS
10-1
3
Final
0
Elizabethtown ETOWN
4-8
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Messiah MESS 25 28 25 (3)
Elizabethtown ETOWN 22 26 13 (0)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball |

Garner, Shatto lead the way in Blue Jay Classic split

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. -- Elizabethtown's offense flowed through Mackenzie Garner and Elle Shatto Saturday, as both players cranked out double-digit kills in each match of a split at the Blue Jay Classic. The Blue Jays topped Rowan 3-0, before giving 10-win Messiah a test despite a 3-0 loss.

Shatto's career-high 15 kills against Rowan paved the way for E-town's third 3-0 sweep of the season. The Sykesville, Maryland, native gave the Profs trouble from the start, going for eight kills and three aces in a 26-24 opening set victory. Garner added five of her 12 kills on just seven attempts.

The Blue Jays (4-8) needed to withstand a late Rowan rally to go in front. The Profs took a 24-23 on a combo block from Erin Keegan and Megan Jacobi that capped a 5-0 run. Shatto would take over from there, though, connecting for two straight kills with the help of setter Gabby Anders and serving up a set-clinching ace.

Two aces from Morgan Reiss, a kill and block each from Anna Simpson and Garner, along with four Rowan attacking errors accounted for nine unanswered points in the second that turned the Blue Jays' 10-8 lead into a whopping 10-point cushion.With Garner, Shatto and Simpson all registering three kills, Elizabethtown went on to take the set 25-18 and found itself in control now up 2-0.

Rowan wouldn't go quietly, staying right with the Jays in the third. Elizabethtown closed the set and the match with seven of the final eight points for a 25-23 decision. Garner found herself at the forefront of the surge with three kills and block, while Simpson chipped in a pair of kills.

Elizabethtown limited itself to two errors in the third to hit .355 (13 kills-2 errors-31 attempts). Garner hit .308 for the match (12-4-26), with Simpson and Shatto both over .200. Anders provided a match-high 34 assists, five digs and two block assists. Her final assist of the match was No. 300 for the season. The Blue Jays combined for six team blocks (12 block assists). Garner and Reiss each had three block assists.

Defensively, four players had six digs or more. Chelsea Gallagher led the Jays with eight. Shatto totaled six, as did freshmen Brooke Ricks and Haven Smith.

Messiah dismantled Rowan Friday night and Rochester Saturday morning in sweeps, but the Blue Jays showed little interest in submitting to their former MAC Commonwealth rivals from Grantham in the Blue Jay Classic finale.

The 10-1 Falcons built an early 5-1 lead before Elizabethtown stormed back with an 11-1 spurt to take a 12-6 lead. Again, sophomore Garner and freshman Shatto impressed with three and two kills, respectively.

E-town extended its lead to seven, 17-10, with kills from Simpson and Garner sandwiched around a Reiss ace. For a majority of the first set, Elizabethtown was the better team, but senior-laden Messiah buckled down late, erasing the Jays' lead during a 7-0 run that ended with the Falcons taking a 21-20 lead on a block from Brooke Gallagher and Taylor Hook. Though the Blue and Gray pulled even twice more, it wasn't enough. Messiah broke a 22-all tie with three straight points to win the set, 25-22.

Garner and the Blue Jays did their best to take the positives of the first along with them to the second. The Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, product's six kills helped put Elizabethtown in position to take the set, but Messiah escaped four set points, scoring five in a row to go in front 25-24. A block and kill from last year's All-Landmark Second Team pick turned the lead over to the hosts once more, but another 3-0 run from Messiah ended with the Falcons winning the set, 28-26.

Messiah had no troubles in the third, winning 25-13 for the sweep. Garner had 12 kills through two sets and finished with a team-high 14. Along with Shatto's 11 kills, the duo combined for 25 of Elizabethtown's 30 kills in the match. Anders had 25 assists and six digs, and Gallagher, the libero, led all players in digs with 10.

Elizabethtown continues its home slate Tuesday when Muhlenberg visits for a 7 p.m. first serve.
 
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