Central A&M opened CIC conference play Thursday night with a memorable 2-1 victory over Meridian, winning in front of an electric crowd during the Raiders’ Pink Out night.
The atmosphere inside the gym was fantastic from the opening serve, and Central A&M fed off the energy as the Raiders came out firing in the first set.
Kenzie White led the charge at the net, dominating offensively and giving Meridian fits throughout the night. Kaydence Wilkinson and Mabry Metzger provided plenty of firepower from the sides, combining for several powerful kills to keep the Raiders’ offense rolling.
Defensively, Lanae Hanley was all over the floor in the libero position. Hanley repeatedly put her body on the line, making diving saves and keeping rallies alive for Central A&M.
The Raiders took control of the opening set and closed it out 25-21.
Meridian responded in the second set, rallying back to even the match and setting up a deciding third set.
The final set was a back-and-forth battle early, with both teams trading points. Central A&M eventually began to pull away late and finished strong, earning a 25-20 third-set victory to secure the conference win.
The victory moves Central A&M to 8-6 overall and 1-0 in CIC conference play.
Robertson Makes Central A&M History
The night also featured a historic milestone for Central A&M’s Callie Robertson.
Robertson broke the Central A&M school record for career aces, reaching 111 career aces and establishing a new program record.
It was a special night all around for the Raiders — a packed Pink Out atmosphere, a conference victory and a record-breaking performance all coming together at home.
Central A&M will look to carry the momentum forward as the season continues.
