MT. BERRY, GA - The Berry College Vikings kicked off the SAA Mega Pod Tournament with a pair of 3-0 sweeps against Southwestern and Millsaps on Saturday in the Cage Center.

Game 1:
The first set started off right for the Pirates, the first two points being in their favor. The Vikings got their first point with a block, already showing off their defensive side so early in the game. Keira Kruk was able to play off a block tying with Southwestern, 2-2. Things started to go right for Berry as they got some strong kills in. Ailee England really pulled through for the team as she served some aces, in which she brought her teams score 8-4. 

The set continued with Madie Whitehead reeling in those points for the Vikings as she scored a lot of tough kills, making it hard for the Pirates to retrieve the score 11-8. The Vikings racked up more kills creating a larger distance in points than before, 20-14. Maddie Dahl showed some great serves after this, scoring two impressive points for the Vikings to make the score 22-15. Due to a missed serve the Vikings lost the ball. They made it their mission to get that ball back and stay in the lead as they fought to reach match point 24-17. 

As the Vikings got ready to serve on the last point they unfortunately missed their mark giving Southwestern a chance to serve. As they did serve, the ball reached the Vikings side fast to where Madie Whitehead quickly ended the set spiking down the ball as hard as she could, bringing the Vikings to victory on set one, 25-18.

The second set started off with the Vikings scoring the first two points. After that there was a short delay as the yellow card got taken out, as the delay was resolved the set quickly continued as the Vikings scored again setting the score 3-0. The Pirates then got in their first point, then it changed quickly as the power duo of the game Ava Brovet and Lura Underwood scored a fast kill to add a point for the Vikings making the score 4-1. 

The set continued on with great blocking skills shown from the Vikings. Ava Brovet was up to serve with the score 6-2, as she delivered a hard blow, absolutely earning the ace to make the score at 7-2. The blocks continued to roll in especially with Armstead making an appearance with one of her great solid blocks making the score 8-3. 

The Pirates caught up as they tied 10-10 with the Vikings. It was not until Keira Kruk performed a strong kill that brought them back into the lead by one point. The Vikings continued to score as Kruk continued to get in another two kills creating some distance with the Pirates, 14-11. 

The set started to get intense as both teams scored more points. Southwestern started to gain points faster than the Vikings, setting them at a tie 17-17. More points were scored between both teams evenly, tying multiple times at 18-18 and 19-19. The tie score broke as the Vikings managed to score twice in a row setting the score close to set point at 21-19. 

Southwestern came back to take a 22-21 lead but the Vikings did not falter as they continued to score kills and defended themselves greatly with their blocks which brought them to set point 24-23. The last play started off good until a foot violation made by Southwestern gave the winning point to the Vikings giving them that second set victory, 25-23.

The third set started off with the Vikings giving away the first point to the Pirates due to a serving error. The first point for the Vikings is then made by Whitehead, putting the Vikings on the scoreboard. 

As the set continued both teams scored points. The Vikings hit a point where they were ahead by two points, the score being 5-3. Due to a swift service ace performed by Hurt the Vikings gained the lead with the score 6-3. 

The set went on with both teams tied, 8-8. A lot of back and forth action went on as the Vikings and Southwestern kept tying: 9-9, 10-10, and 11-11. Barnes and Kruk performed a nice block getting the Vikings to 12 points. This helped the Vikings kick off as they were able to score another point gaining a two point lead, 13-11. 

The set continued on and met again with more ties. This tie streak ended as the Pirates started to gain the lead creating a two point lead between them and the Vikings 16-18. As the plays went on, the Pirates maintained the lead as they hit 22 points with the Vikings still behind at 18. 

The Vikings got their chance to serve at point 18. With Kara Schmit on turn to serve she scored a service ace for the team bringing the score to 19-22. Blakely Barnes and Keira Kruk showed off an awesome block and scored the 20th point for the Vikings. The next few serves for the Vikings Kara Schmit again served another quick ace as well a black jack, bringing the score yet again to a tie, 22-22. 

The set came close to an end as Ava Brovet and Madie Whitehead pulled off a kill together setting the score 23-22. The next point was then scored by Southwestern bringing the score in for another tie, 23-23. Another point was then scored by the Pirates, with them now at set point. The Vikings fought back just as hard as they also scored and reached a tie for the last time 24-24 in the third set. A point was then made by the Vikings bringing them to 25-24, one more point needed for the Vikings to bring home the victory.

The final point was then made by the Vikings as Madie Whitehead made the last serve and brought home the last point as the ball barely made it over the net dropping on to the Pirates side.

Game 2:
The first set started off with the Vikings fast ahead in the lead. Where then some notable plays were made. The first being the second play, the ball went back and forth on both teams for a while until Madie Whitehead cut that off with a hard spike on the opponents side, performing a cunning kill to make the score 2-1. This momentum followed with great service aces performed by Kara Schmit who scored two aces in a row, the score being 9-3. 

Madie Whitehead hit a crushing blow to Millsaps as she spiked the ball with an impressive force to their side of the court where they were unable to retrieve it, the score was set 10-3.

The set continued with a lot more exciting plays made. The Vikings with a great lead were able to maintain it and keep that going throughout the whole set. Some quick and easy serves were made as well as a cool play made by Lura Underwood as she played off a block like it was nothing. Kills continued to be made, with Millsaps getting in their points as well trying to close their wide point gap with Berry. Brovet made a good second touch, scoring a kill with the score 17-11.

The set neared its end as the Vikings and Millsaps went back and forth between points with both teams players showing great moments, with the Vikings having quick and easy serves. The set point was scored by Kara Schmit because of an amazing serve, which then Maddie Dahl followed her by delivering the final kill that brought the Vikings to victory for the first set, 25-13.

In the second set, Millsaps scored the first point. With them scoring two more points they set the score 0-3. Berry finally made their first point as Whitehead spiked a kill, setting Berry on the scoreboard 1-3. 

As the set went on Millsaps started to gain the lead. Instead of falling behind, Berry continued to make kills and tied it 7-7 with Millsaps. Both teams tied more after this point, Ava Brovet decided to break those ties and served the ball giving Berry a two point advantage 11-9.

Armstead scored a great kill creating a 4 point distance for the Vikings and Millsaps, 18-14. As the set went on there was more teamwork seen especially between Brovet and Keira Kruk as they helped their team reach their 20th point, 20-16.

The set continued on as Kruk showed lots of authority as she continued to score points. She spiked down another ball, having the score settle at 22-17. 

The Vikings scored again as they hit set point. After an error serve, Millsaps got the chance to serve and they did scoring 2 more points. As they served for the last time, the ball went over but then stopped as Whitehead unloaded a powerful hit and scored that last point and won the second set for the Vikings, 25-20.

The third set started with Millsaps scoring the first point. The Vikings got their first point given to them after a spike went out of bounds for Millsaps, setting both teams 1-1.

Ryn Gaertner got in an ace serve gaining the lead for the Vikings 3-1. Maddie Whitehead got in a great kill spiking it far out of reach of Millsaps, leaving the score 4-2. Millsaps started to catch up as they scored another point, then Underwood stopped that progress from going any further as she scored a needed point for the Vikings, settling the score 5-3.

Kara Schmit hit her ace number five as she scored a quick and easy point for the Vikings, 7-3. This followed with Maddie Whitehead scoring yet again another quick kill, now 8-3. 

The third set continued as the Vikings were on a roll, having racked up a lot of points they gained a big lead settling at 15-6. A lot of duo work was shown on the Vikings part, using those combined skills they sped ahead and created that 9 point gap advantage between them and the Millsaps.

The set neared the end as the Vikings hit the set point after a good amount of plays, 24-16. The final point was given to the Vikings as Millsaps had a service error, automatically declaring Berry the winner for the third set and the whole game. 

The Vikings wrap up play at the SAA Mega Pad as they host Sewanee on Sunday, September 28 at 1:00 PM.

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