WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Carolina University Women's Volleyball earned a pair of straight-set victories over Washington Adventist University on Friday, October 30, at Williams Gymnasium, improving to 17-16 overall. The doubleheader also featured a career milestone for Martina Rivolta, who reached 1,000 career assists during the second match.
The Bruins opened the doubleheader with a 25-8, 25-13, 25-7 victory before completing the sweep with a 25-9, 25-10, 25-12 win. Carolina entered the day at 15-16, reached .500 with the opening victory and moved above that mark with the second.
Britney Comolli and Rileigh Franklin paced Carolina's offense in the opener with seven kills apiece. Rileigh Franklin finished without an attack error on 12 attempts for a .583 hitting percentage, while Britney Comolli hit .333. Jordan Connolly contributed six kills and a .455 hitting percentage, and Trista Goldsmith added five kills without an error, hitting .556.
Carolina registered 38 kills and hit .358 as a team, closing the match with a .478 hitting percentage in the third set. Martina Rivolta directed the offense with 12 assists and delivered five of the Bruins' 13 service aces. Natalia Cano and Syvannah Poore added eight assists each.
Defensively, Charlee Hale collected a match-high 17 digs, while Madison Kilgore added 11. Charlee Hale and Valeria Suarez also recorded three aces apiece. The Bruins limited Washington Adventist to 12 kills and a -.067 hitting percentage.
Carolina maintained its efficiency in the second match, producing another 38 kills while improving its hitting percentage to .371. Carlota Lobete led the balanced attack with six kills on 10 error-free attempts, finishing with a .600 hitting percentage and six digs.
Braelyn Boyd followed with five kills, while Britney Comolli, SarahElizabeth Samuels and Melia Coleman contributed four apiece. Melia Coleman hit .500 in her one set of action.
Martina Rivolta capped her milestone performance with 20 assists and six service aces in the second victory, reaching 1,000 career assists while helping guide the Bruins to the doubleheader sweep. She finished the day with 32 assists and 11 aces.
Syvannah Poore supplied 10 assists in the finale, and Madison Kilgore added four aces as Carolina again finished with 13. Valeria Suarez anchored the defense with a match-high 13 digs, while Washington Adventist managed seven kills and hit -.085.
Across the two victories, Carolina totaled 76 kills and 26 service aces while winning all six sets.
Head Coach Chelsea Jones:
"I'm proud of the focus and energy our team brought to both matches. We served aggressively, shared the offensive workload and received contributions throughout the lineup. Reaching 1,000 career assists is a special accomplishment for Martina and reflects the work she has put into her game and the connections she has built with her teammates. We're excited to carry this momentum into Senior Night and celebrate everything our seniors have given to this program."
Carolina returns to Williams Gymnasium on Friday, November 6, to host Montreat College for Senior Night. First serve is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
