by Ryan Bartels

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - The Lady Eagles closed the season with their heads held high this afternoon following the Southern States Athletic Conference tournament championship here at the Cramton Bowl Multiplex. Though Faulkner didn't walk away with the title in hand, it came one step closer to that lingering goal with its first-ever appearance on the league's top stage. The exhausted Lady Eagles played valiantly against perennial power Mobile (39-3) but weren't able to match the explosive weaponry in the 25-17, 25-20, 25-20 decision.

Faulkner expelled the bulk of its energy in the preceding knock-down, drag-out semifinal battle against Loyola. The five-banger took a heavy toll on the team's fuel reserves, but the Lady Eagles refused to hold on to excuses against the team they most love facing.

With their Lunchables still resting in their stomachs, the fifth-seeded Lady Eagles went to work against top-ranked Mobile. Faulkner mustered several point runs throughout and fired back in the face of electric Mobile attacks, but in the end, the Rams had more muscle and Faulkner couldn't keep pace.

"You guys have nothing to be upset about and everything to be proud of," head coach Tori Bartels told her team after the loss. "That's one of the best teams in the country and one of the best teams we've faced in a long time. No one else in this tournament could have held their own on this court and that's saying something.

"The only thing I've ever demanded from you is your best and you gave me that every single game of this tournament. If we give everything we have and don't come out with a 'W', I'll always be happy with that. For those of you returning, I want you to remember how hard you fought to get here and what it will take to go further."

Kortney Barnes (left) and Julianne Wilkes (right) receive SSAC all-tournament team honors

Krystalynn Leomiti was again the kill leader with eight and had six digs and a pair of block assists.

Madelyn Cheatham followed with six kills and a pair of block assists.

Kortney Barnes had four kills and as many total stops up front. The freshman led the tournament in blocks with 28 and ranked second in stops per set with 1.7.

Katie Musser dispensed 24 assits and had seven digs while libero Julianne Wilkes secured 19 digs. Musser was second in the event in assists and assists per set with 180 and 10, respectively, while Wilkes was first in total digs with 94 and digs per game with 6.3.

Barnes and Wilkes were later named to the all-tournament team.

The Lady Eagles were 18-12 on the year and Mobile was the only team to defeat them in the postseason.