TUSKEGEE, Ala. - Defense led the way as the Lady Eagles tamed the Golden Tigers Tuesday evening in the first ever visit to Tuskegee University for the program in a 25-16, 25-22, 25-6 sweep. Faulkner shut down the Tuskegee attack with 11 blocks and 57 digs in the three set affair.

Ellie Cyr's kill broke an 8-8 tie to start the match to start a 7-0 run to allow Faulkner to run away with the first set with the finishing push featuring a 4-0 run with a kill, two blocks and an ace.

The second set seemed fully in the hands of the Lady Eagles at 22-15, but the hosts scored five in a row to make things very interesting. However, the block party continued as Julia Rice combined with Hannah Bryan for the first and Haven Owings for the second in a back-to-back access denial to set up a set point. Tuskegee took two of their own to make things even more interesting but Bryan picked up her fifth kill of the night to halt any momentum to potentially equalize the match after two sets. 

The third set was as all-Faulkner as it could get, sprinting to a 16-3 lead as Kolbi Bates served 11 consecutive points after checking into the set to serve at 3-2. During the set, Faulkner defensively held Tuskegee to a -0.235 attack percentage in the third on 10 errors while offensively attacking over the inverse of that with a .286 clip of its own on 11 kills. 

Rhi Keck set Faulkner career highs in kills with a floor-leading 10 as well as solo blocks (2) and aces (2) in the victory. Bryan hit nine kills with no errors for a .346 percentage. Owings added seven, Victoria Wheeler five, and Rice four.

Bates set a career high in digs with 16 just three days after a four ace performance at Stillman that was also a personal best. She added three more aces to that total to lead both teams. Ashton McCullar had her second-highest Faulkner total of digs with 24 to lead the floor. It broke her previous three-set mark of 19 against Middle Georgia. The duo combined for 40 of the 57 digs (70.1 percent) for the team and was just six digs shy of Tuskegee's team total. 

Four different Lady Eagles picked up two solo blocks each: Wheeler, Keck, Owings and Rice. 

Jaylyn Strength added a two ace performance as Faulkner totaled nine and has hit 19 in the last six sets. 

Mandi Hart had 19 assists and Cyr added 12.

Faulkner continues its reprise from SSAC play next Tuesday as it travels to Cleveland, Ga. to play in St. Andrews and Truett-McConnell at Truett-McConnell for matches four and five of the nine match road swing. Read Full Article