WILLIAMSBURG, Ky.- In game one of the Cumberlands Invitational, the Southeastern University volleyball team dropped to 3-6 after coming up just short in the 3-2 loss to Bryan College.
The Fire got out to a 5-0 start in the first set but an 8-2 run by the Lions brought the set within one. The Lions concluded the set on a run as well as they secured the final seven points to take set one by a score of 25-16.
In set two, the Fire again jumped out to an early 8-2 lead but, unlike set one, the Fire managed to hold the lead for the entirety of the set and would go on to take set two by a dominating score of 25-9. The Lions offense struggled in the second set as the Fire capitalized on 12 errors to take set two.
After being tied at twelve halfway through the set, the Fire strung together a five-point run that cushioned their 21-15 lead. In response, the Lions recorded their own five-point run to tie the set at 23 but back-to-back kills by
Grace Petty gave the Fire the 25-23 set win and 2-1 match lead.
One set away from the match victory, the Fire conceded four consecutive attack errors early in the set, giving the Lions the 7-3 lead. The Fire fought back into striking position as a kill by
Chapel Cunningham gave them the 13-12 edge. With the set tied at 20, the Lions recorded four consecutive service aces to end the 25-21 set, forcing a tiebreaker.
In the first-to-fifteen set five, two errors by the Fire and two Lion kills allowed Bryan the 4-2 lead but kills by
Emilia Harding, Cunningham, and
Kennedy Jones tie the set at six. Petty would get her team to 10 first with back-to-back kills but two kills, an ace, and attack error ended the 15-11 set and secured the 3-2 victory for the Lions.
Petty led the way offensively for the Fire recording 18 kills while
Ryanne VanWyk recorded a season-high 34 assists.
The Fire will have a quick turnaround as they take on Ohio Christian tomorrow morning at 9 a.m.
Â
