By: by Jason Hanes
KENNESAW, Ga. - Brittany McClelland had 13 kills and Courtney Cohen had 19 digs to help Troy to a, 3-1 (25-19, 26-28, 25-17, 25-22) over pesky Presbyterian on Saturday evening at the 2010 Owls Invitational.
Troy broke a 16-16 tie in the opening set and never lost the lead again the rest of the way en route to a 25-19 win. The second would prove to be the longest set of the tournament. The Blue Hose led by four late, 23-19, but Troy chipped away at the lead. The Trojans fought off four set points before getting a set point opportunity of their own, 26-25. Presbyterian would go on a three-point mini-rally to take the set. Back-to-back kills by all-tournament honoree Presley Mabrey set up another set point try for the Blue Hose. One last serve would be all it took as Amanda Kettles dropped an ace just inside the sideline to give Presbyterian a 28-26 win.
The Blue Hose were right in the third set with the Trojans, leading for much of the early stages of the set. However, with the Blue Hose up 15-14, a controversial replay was called of a point. From that stage on in the set, Presbyterian came unraveled, eventually falling 25-17 after a kill by Megan Henderson.
Presbyterian led set four, 14-10, but again the Trojans came back, eventually taking the lead at 20-19. PC tied the set again, 22-22, but a pair of PC errors and a service ace by Henderson ended the set and the match in favor of the Trojans.
Presley Mabrey was named all-tournament representing the Blue Hose. Troy, which finished second in the tournament thanks to winning percentage, had Henderson and Kayla Giles earn all-tourney nods.
