Montgomery, Ala.- The Lady Eagles hosted the Pensacola Christian Lady Eagles on Tuesday afternoon for a rematch after traveling to Pensacola Christian earlier in the season. Faulkner beat Pensacola Christian 3-1 in the match. In Tuesday's match, the Pensacola Christian Lady Eagles picked up the win to bring the season series 1-1 after a hard match that went to the wire for all five sets.
Pensacola Christian 3, Faulkner 2 (25-15, 20-25, 25-20, 24-26, 17-15)
For set one, Pensacola Christian put two quick points to start off. For the next several serves, the two teams went back and forth, scoring singular points with a few runs in between. After the score sat at 11-9 for the Lady Eagles, Pensacola went on a 10-0 run to lead Faulkner 19-11.
Faulkner was able to stop the series of points on the next serve after a service error from Pensacola Christian. On the next two serves, the two teams traded points, with Pensacola Christian scoring first, then Faulkner scoring off a kill from Madison Martin.
The Lady Eagles of Pensacola Christian then went on another run with four straight points. Faulkner ended the run after an attack error from Pensacola Christian and a kill from Allyse Rudolph. Pensacola Christian took the set on the next serve to finish the set at 25-15.
In the second set, the Lady Eagles started with a kill from Rhiannon Keck for the first point. Pensacola Christian then scored three in a row to take a 3-1 lead. Each team scored two more points in the next four serves.
Faulkner tied the score at five, all with a kill from Charlee Jordan and an attack error from Pensacola Christian. Then Pensacola Christian took the lead right back after three straight points to lead 8-5. On the next serve, the Lady Eagles drew within two after an attack error from Pensacola Christian.
The Lady Eagles of Pensacola Christian pushed their lead out to four with two more points to lead 10-6. Then, the Lady Eagles brought it back within two after an attack error and a kill from Victoria Wheeler.
On the next nine serves, each team exchanged points back and forth to bring the score to 15-12 in favor of Pensacola Christian. Faulkner drew within one after two errors from Pensacola Christian. Pensacola Christian stretched their lead again with three straight points. On the next five serves, Faulkner scored three of the points to draw within three and the score stood at 20-17 for Pensacola Christian.
Faulkner went on to take the set 25-20 after scoring on the last eight serves and tied the match up 1-1, forcing the match to at least one extra set.
In the third set, Faulkner scored the first two points after an error from Pensacola Christian and an ace from Mandi Hart. Pensacola Christian answered with a point on the next serve. The Lady Eagles pushed out back to a two-point lead on the next serve with a kill from Allyse Rudolph.
In the next three serves, Pensacola Christian took their first lead with three straight points. On the next serve, the Lady Eagles tied it up with a kill from Rhiannon Keck. Pensacola took a commanding lead with a 5-0 run to lead 9-4. Faulkner drew within four after a service error from Pensacola Christian.
For the next several serves, each team scored several points, but Pensacola expanded their lead to six. Faulkner pulled within two after four straight points. On the next two serves, each team scored one.
The two teams continued to fight until the end, each scoring, but Pensacola Christian held on to their lead to take set three 25-20.
The fourth set saw a game of runs throughout the entire set. The Lady Eagles started it with a kill from Allyse Rudolph. Then Pensacola Christian scored two in a row. Faulkner tied it up 2-2 with a kill from Hannah Bryan. Pensacola Christian took the lead back on the next serve, but Faulkner took it right back with a kill from Bryan and an ace from Ellie Cyr.
Pensacola Christian went on a 3-0 run on the next three serves to take the lead back. The Lady Eagles then drew back within one off a kill from Riley Deem, but Pensacola Christian scored again to lead 7-5. Rudolph laid down another kill to draw within one again on the next serve.
On the next five serves, Pensacola Christian scored two and Faulkner scored the last three. Pensacola Christian answered with three in a row of their own to bring the score to 12-9. Faulkner pulled within one yet again with two more points. Pensacola Christian responded with one more point before Faulkner scored another two points.
Pensacola Christian then put up four straight to push their lead to 17-13. Faulkner scored two in a row after two errors from Pensacola Christian. On the next serve, Pensacola Christian scored again after an error from Faulkner. On the next two serves, the Lady Eagles drew back within one off a kill from both Hannah Bryan and Allyse Rudolph.
In the next six serves, Pensacola Christian scored three in a row, with Faulkner following up with three of their own. Pensacola scored another point before Faulkner put up three more to take their first lead of the set since they led 4-3 early in the set.
Pensacola then took the lead back and set point with two more points, but Faulkner quickly ended the set with three straight points. The last two came behind two big kills from Charlee Jordan to push the match to set five and earn the 27-26 comeback win in set four.
With the final set and the match on the line, the two teams continued to battle, with Faulkner starting with the first two points. Pensacola Christian scored on the third serve before each team traded points on the next four serves.
Pensacola Christian added two more points to take a one-point lead over the Lady Eagles. Faulkner tied it up 5-5 after a service error from Pensacola Christian.
Each team went on to score several points until Faulkner took a two-point lead with three straight to lead 11-9. For the next six serves, each team scored three, each answering the other's point and Faulkner sitting at match point. Pensacola Christian then tied it up at 14, all with two in a row. Faulkner took the lead on the next serve, but in the next three serves, Pensacola Christian took the set 17-15 and the match 3-2.
The Lady Eagles had two players see double digits in kills. Charlee Jordan had 13, while Allyse Rudolph had 12. Two other Lady Eagles also saw double digits in digs, with Ellie Cyr and Jaylyn Strength both at 10. Mandi Hart led the team in assists with 27. Cyr completed a double-double with also having 19 assists.
The Lady Eagles return to action on Friday, November 1, when they travel to Point University to start their last weekend road series of the regular season. The first serve is set for 5:00 p.m. CDT.
