5 hours Ago By By JAMIE COMBS [email protected]
In men’s soccer, Milligan’s immunity to defeat remains intact. That immunity was put to the test this past Saturday in Athens, but NAIA’s 11th-ranked team got past Appalachian Athletic Conference foe Tennessee Wesleyan, 1-0. Ethan Hayes converting a penalty kick in the 83rd minute enabled the Buffs to come out on top, improving their record to 10-0-3 (8-0-2 AAC) with their seventh straight win.
With goalkeeper Adria Alles (5-0) saving the lone on-goal shot the Bulldogs could muster, Milligan finished with 16 shots (8 on goal) to Wesleyan’s five. Part of a three-way race for the conference title, the Buffs will be in Barbourville, Ky., today for a showdown with first-place Union Commonwealth (11-1-1, 10-0 AAC).
Milligan plays its regular-season finale on Saturday, hosting Pikeville in a 5 p.m. match.
Bryan (9-5-1, 9-1-1) is the other team fighting for the top spot. Failing to record an on-net attempt, the Lady Buffs were outshot 20-2 over the weekend at Tennessee Wesleyan. Still, Milligan (7-6-2, 7-3-1 AAC) stayed in Saturday’s match till the end — dropping a 1-0 decision to an opponent now boasting a 9-0-1 AAC worksheet.
Dealing with an eight-shot workload, Milligan net-minder Akyla Walcott wound up notching seven saves. Wesleyan’s goal, courtesy of Madisen Hodges, came in the 20th minute. Currently fourth in the conference standings, the Buffs pay Union Commonwealth a visit today.
Their regular-season finale will be this Saturday versus Pikeville at Anglin Field, where action begins at 3 p.m. By victimizing Brenau on the road and then Montreat and Bluefield at home, Milligan (18-7, 13-3 AAC) extended its winning streak to eight matches.
With five dates left on their regular-season slate, the Lady Buffs are holding down third place in the AAC. Friday Milligan 3, Brenau 1 (24-26, 25-20, 25-16, 25-23) Ella Maiden supplied 13 kills with a .474 hitting percentage, Kolbie Greene recorded 37 assists and both players generated three block assists.
An Avery Maiden double-double consisted of 11 kills and 13 digs while Shelby Miller struck for a dozen kills. Zoie Larkins coupled nine digs with three aces. The Lady Buffs finished with 16 block assists, including five from Addison Varney.
Saturday Milligan 3, Montreat 0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-9) Milligan posted a successful attack rate of .341 in swiftly dispatching the Lady Cavaliers. With Miller (.
417) again collecting 12 kills, Ella Maiden (.421) and Avery Maiden (.538) added nine and eight, respectively.
Ella proved responsible for six of her team’s 12 total blocks, Greene handed out 27 assists and Sierra Still applied her name to four aces. Grace Sanderson led the way in digs, logging 10. She was followed by Larkins (8), Greene (7), Riley Brinn (6) and Avery Maiden (6).
Tuesday Milligan 3, Bluefield 0 (25-13, 25-11, 25-15) The Buffs were spearheaded by Avery Maiden with 11 kills, 10 kills from Ella Maiden and Greene’s 24 assists. Ella boasted a .692 hitting percentage with Avery finishing at .
400. Defensively, it was Larkins making her mark with nine digs. Brinn added seven and Still had six.
All but three of Milligan’s 16 total blocks were crafted by Avery Maiden (4), Miller (3), Ella Maiden (3) or Varney (3). Avery logged three solo jobs with Miller collecting two..
