The women’s volleyball team started the 2013 season with their annual Black & Gold scrimmage Thursday night in front of 1,021 spectators at the Hearnes Center. The Black team swept Gold in three straight games (25-16, 25-23, 25-20).

The Black squad’s victory came thanks in part to senior hitter Lisa Henning and junior blocker Whitney Little. Henning, the only player in Tiger history to have back-to-back 500 kill seasons, delivered 10 more tonight, along with 3 blocks and an ace for the Black side.

Little, the school record holder for blocks in a season (139), enjoyed time on both sides of the net, with a combined 5 blocks and 7 kills.

Senior setter Molly Kreklow tallied 30 assists.

“It was one of the better Black & Gold games we’ve had,” Little said. “(The attendance) shows how much Columbia supports us, and it motivates us as a team that our school, city and community is behind us.”

Freshman blocker Emily Thater also contributed 3 kills and 5 blocks for the Black team, proving herself as the No. 36 recruit in the country according to PrepVolleyball.com.

“I was definitely satisfied with how hard I went,” Thater said. “Sets will come and sets will go and as long as you work your hardest, it’ll all be okay.”

Despite the one-sided score, the play was kept relatively evenly matched throughout the night, with several long volleys aided by the 18 digs from junior libero Sarah Meister.

“We play hard, we’re scrappy, but that happens when you’re moving people around,” coach Wayne Kreklow said. “We’ve gotta clean up a lot of little things. I think Molly (Kreklow)’s still figuring out how to use everybody. As a setter sometimes you have too many toys to play with.”