MACON, Ga. - The Lady Eagles (14-6, 4-2 SSAC) took down Middle Georgia State (3-8, 1-6 SSAC) 3-1 (29-31, 25-12, 25-11, 25-21) after dropping the first set Saturday afternoon powered by a strong all-around performance with a season high for kills, season low in attack errors and a season high dig count for a four set match as a team.
Leading 23-18 in the first set, Faulkner looked poised to cruise to the opening set victory, but the Knights rallied to tie it at 23. The Lady Eagles would eventually get three set points but the Knights finally broke the deadlock on the 60th point of the set.
Faulkner flipped the switch and never even flirted with losing the second set as
Charlee Jordan took over the start of the set with three kills on the first five points of the frame as Faulkner started on a 5-0 run. The Lady Eagles used a 6-0 run late in the set to pull away from the hosts.
The third set largely resembled the second as Faulkner jumped to a 12-4 lead behind five
Molly Presnell kills. The Lady Eagles would eventually jump to a 20-7 lead before cruising back into the lead.
Middle Georgia would not go away quietly though, leading 18-17 trying to force a fifth set for the first time ever in the lifetime series between the programs. However, errors began to mount for the hosts as five missed swings accentuated a pair of
Haven Owings kills before Presnell killed match point.
Presnell led the way with 18 kills on just 31 attacks with one error for an astronomical .548 attack percentage while also collecting 18 digs and three blocks. Jordan had 12 kills and Owings 10.
Hannah Bryan led the floor with 19 digs while
Mandi Hart turned in her second straight double-double with 19 assists and 15 digs.
Alyssa Stagner paced the floor with 31 assists.
Faulkner improves to 11-1 all-time against the Knights and has won the last nine meetings.
The Lady Eagles welcome the Running Eagles of Life (6-5, 3-3 SSAC) Friday for the first SSAC meeting between the sides at Tine Davis Gymnasium at 6 p.m.
