LAKELAND, Fla.- The Fire dropped both contests in day one of the Faulkner Invitational and dropped to 1-5 overall with their game one loss to William Carey by a score of 3-0 and 3-1 game two loss to Faulkner University.
In set one against the Crusaders, the Fire battled through a closely contested set until William Carey strung together the largest lead of the set, going ahead 21-16 with back-to-back kills. Despite trailing by five late in the set, the Fire battled back to take the lead and 24-21 cushion with an 8-0 run due to multiple Crusader errors. Down by three, the Crusaders would go on to secure the 26-24 set one victory after stringing together three more kills.
Set two saw the Fire start with a 6-4 lead but a nine-point run by the Crusaders tip the scales to a 12-6 WCU lead. Six consecutive Fire points brought the set to 14-13 after three kills by
Emilia Harding and three consecutive Crusader errors. Both teams would battle towards the end of the set with two lead changes in the last five points but the Crusaders would hold on to take set two 25-23.
The final set remained within one point until the Crusaders took the 11-9 lead and riding their momentum into a 25-15 set and 3-0 match victory behind a .325 hitting percentage and 17 kills.
Harding ended game one with a team high eight kills and .364 attack percentage.
In their second match of the day, the Fire faced the host team in Faulkner University, dropping the contest 3-1.
After dropping the first set 25-18, the Fire spent the first half of set two trialing by two until the Eagles took advantage of five consecutive Fire errors to advance the lead to 17-9. The Fire managed to bring the set back within three but would drop set two 25-18.
The Fire were not ready to concede the contest in set three as they came out with a commanding 7-1 lead that they would go on to advance to a nine-point cushion later in the set. The Eagles quickly erased the comfortable Fire lead after an 8-0 that was highlighted by four service aces. After taking and extending the lead, the Eagles were just two points from securing the match when the Fire strung together a five-point run with two kills from
Grace Petty to take the 24-23 edge. Both teams would go back-and-forth until the Fire forced a fourth set after two Eagle errors.
Set four was all Eagles as they would go on to secure the set 25-14 and the match 3-1 after 13 kills.
Grace Petty led the Fire in kills with 16 while
Emily Eurice led in assists with 18.
The Fire will next face Reinhardt tomorrow morning at 10 a.m.
Â
