Buena Vista, VA - In a much-anticipated matchup, the Southern Virginia University women's volleyball team hosted the conference-leading Methodist Monarchs in an important USA South match. After losing the first set, the Knights came out victorious, knocking the Monarchs from the ranks of the undefeated in conference play with a 3-1 victory.

The first set was tight throughout, each team taking turns with the lead. Katelyn Wankier, typically known for her defensive play at the net, put together a strong attacking performance with three kills in the first set. The Knights held the lead at 16-13, but six consecutive points put the Monarchs in front and helped them to a 1-0 set lead. The Knights flipped the script in the second frame and cruised to a set victory thanks to consistent play. Brookelyn Madland flexed her muscles and put down seven kills to lead the team while being a force to be reckoned with at the net.

In a pressure-packed third set, Southern Virginia came together in an inspiring third frame. After falling behind 8-3, a timeout by Head Coach Debby looked to change the tide. Out of the timeout, Sydney Bassett began to find her groove with a couple of kills, and the Knights took advantage of a couple of Methodist errors to climb back into contention. They faced another five-point deficit at 15-10, but the Knights tightened up defensively and outscored the Monarchs 15-7 the rest of the way to take an important third-set victory. Excellent play from Brenna Clyde sparked the comeback, which was punctuated by two service aces from Gracie Fulton. With a 2-1 advantage, the Knights were on the cusp of a signature win.

The fourth set was another back-and-forth battle; neither team was able to lead by more than two points through the first half of the set. Eventually, three quick kills from Brenna Clyde allowed the Knights to stretch their lead to 19-13, and the Monarchs could not climb their way back. Sydney Bassett put the finishing touches on the win to improve Southern Virginia's record to 3-1 in conference play, which leaves them tied for first in live conference standings. Brookelyn Madland and Brenna Clyde recorded 17 and 16 blocks, respectively, while Katelyn Wankier finished with five total blocks, and Gracie Fulton had 23 digs to anchor the defense.

The Knights will take their momentum into another home matchup on Wednesday, October 2nd, in Buena Vista. They'll look for their fourth consecutive victory and will face the Salem College Spirits, with the match scheduled for 6:00 PM. For the most up-to-date information and details on the team, visit knightathletics.com and follow @knightwvolleyball on Instagram.