The University of Mary Washington volleyball team dropped a 3-0 decision at Randolph-Macon College on Wednesday night in its 2021 season opener. Game scores were 25-15, 25-13, 25-22. 

The Eagles built a 4-3 edge early in the first game, thanks in part to a pair of kills from senior Olivia Casey (Norfolk, Va./Granby). The Yellow Jackets responded with five straight points to take an 8-4 lead, and extended the margin to 15-8, before UMW rallied for four of five points, with sophomore Jordan Lyons (Fairfax, Va./Woodson) adding a pair of kills, to cut the deficit to 17-12. The margin remained at five at 20-15, when the hosts scored the final five points of the game to take the first.

In the second, the Yellow Jackets reeled off nine straight points early en route to a 25-13 win. The third game saw 10 ties in a back-and-forth effort. Neither team led by more than two points, and the Eagles vaulted to the lead at 12-11 on an attack error. With UMW holding a 14-12 edge, the Jackets reeled off six of the next seven points to build a 20-16 lead. A service ace from Kayla Browne (Laurel, Md./Reservoir) cut UMW's deficit to 22-20, but RMC scored the next two points to gain match point, and after the Eagles grabbed a pair of points, the hosts found the winning point.

The Eagles were led by Casey's 11 kills against two errors in 26 attempts, as well as Lyons' eight kills against two errors in 18 attempts. Setter Makenna Santinga (Madison, Va./Madison County) talied 25 assists and a team-high seven digs. Aidan Finegan (Camp Hill, Pa./Trinity) and Browne each had six kills for the Eagles.  

UMW will return to action on Friday, as they face Clarkson University at 3:00 pm and Southern Virginia University at 5:00 p.m. as part of the Virginia Wesleyan Invitational.