By Katherine Jamtgaard for App State Sports. BOONE, N.C. – The App State volleyball team closed out its season-opening tournament on Saturday with its third sweep over the weekend, defeating Tennessee Tech, 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-22). The Mountaineers had opened the tournament with an afternoon 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-19) victory over William & Mary before defeating Bellarmine 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-19) on Friday.
The tournament has marked the best start of the season for App State since the 2018 campaign, where the Mountaineers posted four consecutive 3-0 sweeps from Aug. 24 to Aug. 31.
“I’m so proud of the start that our team had this weekend,” said head coach Sarah Rumely Noble. “We made plays and made things happen for ourselves and we controlled our side at a really high level. We can’t wait to get back in the gym and get better next week.”
Freshman Delanie Grevengoed, sophomore Maya Winterhoff, and fifth-year senior McCall Denny earned spots on the Mountaineer Classic All-Tournament team. Denny was also named Tournament MVP after posting 25 kills, 24 digs, four aces and four solo blocks on the weekend. In her App State debut, Grevengoed tallied 23 kills and a hitting percentage of .364 on the weekend. She also totaled seven block assists and six digs through three matches. Winterhoff totaled 17 blocks (six solo, 11 assists) during the tournament as well as 19 kills and a hitting percentage of .317 through three matches.
App State 3, Tennessee Tech 0
Against Tennessee Tech, Denny led the Mountaineers in the kills category with ten, while sophomore Kenady Roper led the team in digs (13). Senior Sophie Cain and sophomore Katie Cruise both tallied 15 assists on the afternoon. Winterhoff posted six blocks against the Golden Eagles. Grevengoed matched her single match high of nine kills, set the night before against Bellarmine, and recorded a hitting percentage of .438.
App State and Tennessee Tech kept a tight team comparison, with the Mountaineers holding a lead in the points, aces, blocks, and digs category.
The Mountaineers battled through long rallies and tight leads in the first set. A kill from Denny broke a 10-10 tie and was followed by an ace from Roper, kill from Winterhoff, and a Golden Eagle error. A five-point run that included kills from freshman Ava Leahy, junior Lulu Ambrose, and an ace from Cruise, extended App State’s lead, 23-17. A kill from Denny secured the set for the Mountaineers, 25-18.
In the second set, App State pulled ahead to an early 14-6 lead. A five-point run that included a pair of kills from Denny, a block from Grevengoed/Winterhoff, and a kill from Grevengoed, launched App State to a 19-9 lead. After junior Lulu Ambrose and junior Lauren Pledger slammed down kills to bring App State to set point, the Golden Eagles held the Mountaineers to four set points before Denny secured the set for the Black and Gold, 25-22, with a kill.
Grevengoed opened the final set with a kill before Tennessee Tech found momentum for a 12-8 lead. A kill from Grevengoed, a block from Grevengoed/Winterhoff, an ace from Roper, and an error from the Golden Eagles tied things up at 12-12 all. The Mountaineers and Golden Eagles fought point-for-point until the Mountaineers managed a 21-17 lead with kills from Pledger, Denny, and Grevengoed. A kill from Denny and an error from Tennessee Tech brought the Mountaineers to set point. The Mountaineers battled through three set points before winning the set and the match with a kill from Leahy.
Up Next
The Mountaineers head to Greenville, N.C. for the ECU Tournament on Sept. 1-2. There, the Black and Gold will clash with Bethune-Cookman, Campbell, and East Carolina.
Mountaineer Classic All-Tournament Team
- McCall Denny, App State
- Delanie Grevengoed, App State
- Maya Winterhoff, App State
- Anna Lococo, Bellarmine
- Skylar Boom, Tennessee Tech
- Taylor Burrell, William & Mary
- Lindsay Kahren, William & Mary
Tournament MVP: McCall Denny, App State
Full Mountaineer Classic Tournament Scores & Schedule
Friday, Aug. 25
- Tennessee Tech 3, Bellarmine 0
- App State 3, William & Mary 0
- William & Mary 3, Tennessee Tech 2
- App State 3, Bellarmine 0
Saturday, Aug. 26
- William & Mary 3, Bellarmine 1
- App State 3, Tennessee Tech 0
