The Lady Eagles third straight five set match ended in its second consecutive SSAC loss in such matches and third league match in a row in Ripley, Miss. against Blue Mountain 3-2 (17-25, 25-18, 25-18, 21-25, 15-11) Friday night. This contest marked the 11th time Faulkner has gone to five sets this season and are 4-7 in those matches.

While the sides were comparable in most categories, Faulkner held the advantage on the block with 11 team blocks to five by the Lady Toppers. Blue Mountain, however found six more kills than the visiting team from Montgomery. The attack proved to be the difference in the final frame with 10 kills for the hosts to even the all-time series between the programs at one win each. 

Faulkner jumped out to a 1-0 lead with Alexis McInroy (FR/Elberta, Ala.) subbing on down 12-10 and making an immediate impact with assisting on a block with Mallory Black (SO/Murfreesboro, Tenn.) before killing two straight points to push the Lady Eagles into a lead it would balloon for the rest of the opening frame in a 14-5 run. 

Blue Mountain duplicated the late streak the next set taking a 14-all scoreline to a 25-18 set two win. Julianna Taylor killed three straight points as part of a 5-1 start to the third set. Faulkner would cut the deficit to one but could not force a tie as the Lady Toppers took a 2-1 lead. 

Three straight Blue Mountain errors at 21-19 Faulkner in the fourth set capped by a kill from Alysa Vinson (SO/Pike Road, Ala.) forced the fifth set. 

Alyssa Stagner (SO/Sneads, Fla.) led the Lady Eagles in both assists and digs with 41 and 20, respectively. Vinson recorded her third consecutive double-double with 14 kills and 14 digs. Kortney Barnes (JR/Mobile, Ala.) led Faulkner in points (16.5) with 13 kills, three solo blocks and one assisted block.

Faulkner (12-14, 5-7 SSAC) travels to McKenzie, Tenn. to take on Bethel for the final time in regular season SSAC play Saturday at 1 p.m.