LADY RAIDERS SWEEP BRYAN COLLEGE AT HOME

Roane State women's volleyball earned a much-needed victory Wednesday night, September 24, defeating Bryan College in straight sets behind a sharp offensive effort and steady contributions from multiple players.

Head coach Jaymee Hannan said she was pleased with her team's poise while navigating the second half of a back-to-back stretch.

"This was a fun win," Hannan said. "I think we played really clean. We were focused, for the most part, and offensively we did a good job finding the court tonight."

The Lady Raiders came out fast in the opening set, attacking early behind swings from sophomores Madyson Bethea and Kaitlyn Foster. Setter McKenna Cameron — whom Hannan called the "heart and soul" of the team — sparked the offense by keeping Roane State in rhythm and setting up hitters in favorable positions.

"She really is what gets us to run our offense," Hannan said. "If we don't have her on the floor, we can't do much. She goes for everything, and it makes it really easy for the other girls to go too."

After taking the first set, Roane State adjusted into a 6-2 system to close out the match. Freshman setter Eddy Brown helped guide the offense in the third set, giving the Lady Raiders additional versatility in their rotation.

The win came less than 24 hours after a grueling match the night before, and Hannan admitted her team showed signs of fatigue before rallying to finish strong.

"I can definitely tell they're sore," she said. "Yesterday was a hard game, and they played hard. You could see some of them moving a little slow coming in, but they got themselves warmed up and ready to go."

The Lady Raiders continue to work through injuries that have forced lineup adjustments. One starter remains out for the season following ACL surgery, while another is still sidelined with a concussion. Despite the setbacks, Hannan welcomed several players back into the fold Tuesday.

"They're getting back on the court and into it," Hannan said. "It took a little minute to kind of get reset, but we got them on the court tonight and let them take a couple swings."

With conference play now going strong, Hannan said she believes the team is beginning to click both technically and mentally.

"Every game that we've played, we've been a little different," she said. "Sometimes it's because of lineup changes, sometimes because of what we're facing across the net. But I think when our conference opponents see us again, they're going to see a very different version of us."

Roane State will return to action next week for its home match on Tuesday, September 30. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET against TCCAA conference rival Pellissippi State.