ATLANTA, Ga. - The LaGrange College women's volleyball team opened their 2025 season by splitting their two matches at the Jenny McDowell Invitational hosted by Emory University on Friday at the Woodruff PE Center Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, falling short in four sets to Saint Catherine University before rebounding with a four-set win over the Mississippi University for Women.
MATCH ONE – SAINT CATHERINE 3, LAGRANGE 1 (25-22, 14-25, 25-10, 25-17)
- LaGrange freshman outside hitter Jasmine Gross (Antioch, Tenn.) opened her collegiate career with a strong showing against the Wildcats, tallying eight kills, two service aces, three block assists and four digs to total 11.5 points.
- LaGrange sophomore setter Julia Damico (North Port, Fla.) set the table for the Panthers with 21 set assists and eleven digs while adding four kills. Senior middle-hitter Zentrina Choice (Sumter, S.C.) began her senior season with six kills and four block assists. Freshman outside hitter Alex Krabs (Boynton Beach, Fla.) led team with 13 digs.
- After getting edged in the first set, the Panthers stormed back in the second. Tied up at 6-6, LaGrange erupted on a 9-2 run to take control, a run capped off with a kill from Gross. They never looked back.
- The Panthers couldn't maintain their momentum, however, dropping the third and fourth sets.
MATCH TWO – LAGRANGE 3, MISSISSIPPI UNIVERSITY FOR WOMEN 1 (25-15, 22-25, 25-17, 25-17)
- Krabs busted out against the Owls with an eleven-kill performance, hitting .300 for the match while adding seven digs. Choice hit a remarkable .500 with nine kills and two block assists.
- Damico dominated with 38 set assists, averaging 9.5 per set. She would add eight digs on the defensive end.
- LaGrange sophomore outside hitter Kaitlin Gilchrist (Pelham, Ala.) added eight kills, eight digs and two block assists.
- Sophomore libero Isabella Zentkovich (Sharpsburg, Ga.) had a superb defensive effort with 14 digs.
- After splitting the first two sets, the third was knotted at 10-10 before the Panthers pounced with an 8-1 run, with Zentkovich holding serve for the final five rallies. A kill by Choice eventually capped off the win.
- In the fourth set, senior right-side hitter Meredith Orton (Cartersville, Ga.) held serve for six straight points for the Panthers, giving LaGrange an early 9-2 lead. The Owls eventually rallied to pull to within three at 20-17, but a service error gave the advantage back to the Panthers, as Gilchrist held serve on the final four points, including one ace.
UP NEXT
- LaGrange is back on the court on Saturday at the McDowell Invitational when they play LeTourneau University and Oglethorpe University.
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