Mercer University
Troy
Volleyball Edged by Troy, 3-2
9/5/2013 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
AUBURN, Ala. – Carly Iannarino handed out 55 assists and Caroline Carlton piled up 20 kills, but their efforts weren't enough to stop Troy from claiming a 3-2 (18-25, 25-18, 25-17, 22-25, 15-8) win over the Mercer volleyball team in the Bears' opening game of the Active Ankle Challenge at Auburn University on Friday.
Mercer's loss dropped the team to 1-4 while Troy moved to 3-2 on the year.
Iannarino's 55 assists and Carlton's 20 kills were career-high efforts and came as both players narrowly missed double-double performances. Iannarino also added seven digs and two kills while Carlton finished with nine digs, two total blocks and a service ace.
Freshman Ellie James and sophomore Molly Locke each completed double-doubles, as James paired 12 kills with 14 digs and Locke matched 14 kills with 24 digs. Senior libero Emily Rochefort was also credited with 24 digs while also adding a pair of assists.
In the opening set, Mercer scored five unanswered points to break away from a 10-10 tie before ultimately winning 25-18. After Troy retaliated with wins in the second and third sets, the Bears registered 19 kills with only four errors in the fourth set to force the deciding fifth frame.
In the final set, the Trojans jumped out to a 4-1 lead and never looked back en route to the 15-8 victory.
The Bears return to action on the second day of the Active Ankle Challenge, playing host Auburn at 1 p.m. and Wisconsin-Green Bay at 6 p.m.
