PULASKI, Tenn. - Faulkner split its matches Saturday at UT Southern, falling 3-1 to the hosts before sweeping Fisk for the second time this season.
UT Southern 3, Faulkner 1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-17, 29-27)
The match between the two former and still soon-to-be conference foes proved to be a nail biter with the Lady Eagles falling just short. After splitting a pair of 25-23 sets, the Firehawks pulled away with a 7-1 run to balloon a 11-10 lead out of reach for Faulkner.
The Lady Eagles came out firing in the fourth set trying to force a fifth with a 6-0 run but the Firehawks responded with a 5-0 run of their own. Two of
Molly Presnell's 17 kills in the match started a 5-1 run to take a 10-9 lead to 15-10. Moments later, a 4-0 Firehawk run, fueled by three Faulkner errors tied the set at 20. UTS twice held match point but a service error and a
Victoria Wheeler kill extended the match before Faulkner twice held set point, but the hosts strung together three straight kills to end the match.
Alyssa Stagner led the team in both digs and assists with 15 and 21, respectively.
Haven Owings had 10 kills and
Hannah Bryan nine.
Faulkner 3, Fisk 0 (25-16, 25-21, 25-19)
The Lady Eagles continued their streak of sweeping Fisk, completing the seventh consecutive straight sets victory over the Bulldogs in the seventh all-time meeting dating back to the first matchup in 2001 with a fairly clean match with just 12 attack errors.
Leading 17-14 in the first set, Owings found three kills in an 8-2 run to take a match lead. Similarly in the second, with a 20-18 lead, Owings killed three of the next four points to take a 2-0 lead. After losing the first point of the third set, Faulkner quickly jumped to leads of 8-1 and 15-5 as the Lady Eagles cruised to the sweep.
Macy Kemper led the team with 12 digs. Owings led the attack with 10 kills and Presnell nine.
Sarah Boyd's eight digs was second on the team and third most on the floor.
Faulkner gets a little bit of rest before continuing the road swing with a Friday and Saturday trip to Mount Vernon and Cochran, Ga. to face Brewton-Parker and Middle Georgia in SSAC action.
