ATLANTA – The Oglethorpe University volleyball team faced a challenging weekend of Southern Athletic Association (SAA) competition, dropping three conference matches against Rhodes College, No. 11 Berry College and Millsaps College at Dorough Field House. Despite the results, the Stormy Petrels showed flashes of offensive production, highlighted by a four-set battle against Millsaps that featured a near comeback and a career-best defensive effort from Adrianne Ryan.
Oglethorpe opened the weekend Saturday against Rhodes, falling 3-1 after taking the opening set before the Lynx rallied to win the next three. The Petrels followed with a 3-0 loss to Berry before closing the weekend Sunday with a 3-1 defeat against Millsaps.
Rhodes 3, Oglethorpe 1
The Petrels opened their weekend against Rhodes with an impressive first-set performance, taking the frame 25-17. Oglethorpe recorded 15 kills and hit .406 in the opening set, establishing early momentum against the Lynx.
Rhodes responded in the second set, limiting Oglethorpe to five kills as the Lynx evened the match with a 25-12 win. Rhodes carried that momentum into the third set, claiming a 25-11 victory to take a 2-1 lead.
Oglethorpe battled back in the fourth set, producing 14 kills and hitting .345 while attempting to extend the match. The Petrels pushed the frame beyond the standard 25-point mark, but Rhodes ultimately secured the set 28-26 to clinch the 3-1 victory.
Jane Pennington led Oglethorpe with 10 kills, while Aubrey Hill and Callie Simmons added nine apiece. Ava Adams paced the Petrels with 17 assists, and Ryan led the defensive effort with 13 digs. Oglethorpe finished with 40 kills and five service aces.
No. 11 Berry 3, Oglethorpe 0
Oglethorpe returned to the court Saturday evening to face nationally ranked Berry, falling in straight sets by scores of 25-16, 25-11 and 25-12.
Sarah Johnson led the Petrels offensively with five kills, while Hill and Simmons contributed three apiece. Madison Thompson added two blocks to lead Oglethorpe at the net, helping the Petrels finish with three team blocks.
Ava Adams distributed nine assists, while Annabelle Turnbull recorded a team-high six digs. Lauryn Frazier added seven assists and five digs, contributing on both sides of the ball.
Berry maintained the advantage throughout the match, finishing with 40 kills and 11 service aces. Oglethorpe recorded 19 kills and two aces in the contest.
Millsaps 3, Oglethorpe 1
The Petrels closed their weekend Sunday against Millsaps in their most competitive match of the three-day stretch, pushing the Majors to four sets in a 3-1 decision. Millsaps took the first two sets 25-21 and 25-20, but Oglethorpe answered with a determined third-set performance.
The Petrels found their rhythm in the third, recording 15 kills and winning a tightly contested set 26-24 to extend the match. Oglethorpe's 15 kills in the frame matched its strongest single-set offensive output of the weekend, keeping the pressure on the Majors.
Millsaps responded in the fourth set, pulling away for a 25-18 win to secure the match.
Hill led Oglethorpe with 10 kills, followed by Simmons with eight and Johnson with seven. Frazier directed the offense with 21 assists, while Adams added 16. Ryan delivered a standout defensive performance with 22 digs, and Thompson led the Petrels with six blocks.
Oglethorpe also made a significant impact from the service line, recording 15 aces compared to Millsaps' six. Annabelle Turnbull led the way with six service aces, while Thompson and Abby Wheeler contributed three apiece. The Petrels finished with 40 kills, 38 assists and 56 digs.
Despite the 0-3 weekend, Oglethorpe showed its ability to compete in extended stretches, particularly in the opening set against Rhodes and the third set against Millsaps. The Stormy Petrels will look to carry those positive moments into their next conference matchup as they continue their 2026 campaign.
Weekend Notes
- Adrianne Ryan recorded 22 digs against Millsaps, surpassing her 13-dig performance against Rhodes by nine.
- Oglethorpe's 15 service aces against Millsaps were its highest single-match total of the weekend.
- The Petrels recorded 15 kills in the third set against Millsaps, their highest single-set total across the three matches.
- Oglethorpe's 26 points in the third set against Millsaps marked its highest-scoring set of the weekend.
- Madison Thompson recorded six blocks against Millsaps, her highest individual block total across the three matches.
- Oglethorpe played 15 total sets across the three-match weekend, including two four-set matches.
Up Next
The Stormy Petrels will continue Southern Athletic Association play Friday, Oct. 16, when they face Southwestern University at 10:30 a.m. in Danville, Kentucky, as part of the conference competition hosted at Centre College.
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