Montgomery, Ala.- The Lady Eagles hosted the Mobile Rams for the clash of I-65 on Friday afternoon. Faulkner found themselves down 1-0 after the first set. In the second set, the Lady Eagles held the lead until late. The Rams battled their way back to take the lead. From there, the two teams battled until the set went to extras. Mobile took the set after several points were traded back and forth. In the third set, the Rams took a commanding lead early, but the Lady Eagles fought hard to try to push the match to four sets. Unfortunately, the Rams ended the set and the match to sweep the Lady Eagles 3-0.
Mobile 3, Faulkner 0 (25-17, 30-28, 25-15)
In the first set, the Rams took a 7-2 lead early. The Lady Eagles quickly pushed back within two after three straight points off a kill from Allyse Rudolph and two attack errors from the Rams.
After several serves, the Rams pulled out to another five-point lead, but the Lady Eagles continued to battle and keep the score close.
Late in the set, the Lady Eagles drew within three after three straight kills from Victoria Wheeler, Hannah Bryan and Charlee Jordan. The Rams were up 20-17, then took the set off five consecutive points to win set 1 25-17.
In the second set, the Lady Eagles jumped out to a quick 5-2 lead. The Rams answered with a few points, but Faulkner quickly pushed the lead to 4.
The Lady Eagles and Rams traded back points until Faulkner went on a 4-0 run. The run came from one kill from Hannah Bryan; two kills from Ellie Cyr, and an attack error by Mobile.
The Lady Eagles held on to their lead deep in the set until the Rams took their first lead of the set after three straight points.
Faulkner tied it up on the next two sets 19-19, after a block from Cyr and Wheeler and a kill from Bryan.
Mobile took the lead right back off two kills. Faulkner took the lead yet again after a 4-0 run off four errors from the Rams. The Lady Eagles had set point 24-22.
On the next two serves, the Rams sent the set to extras after tying it up 24 all. From there, the two teams traded points back on the next four serves. The set sat at 26-26. The Lady Eagles took the lead after a service error from Mobile.
The Rams took the lead again to avoid the set loss with back-to-back points. On the next serve, Macy Kemper tied it up yet again with a kill.
With the set tied up 28 all, the Rams took set two after a hard-fought battle with a kill and an ace to win set two 30-28.
In the third set, the Rams took a 12-5 lead early in the set. The Lady Eagles climbed back slowly, but the Rams continued to hold on to their lead. The Rams pushed their lead to nine late in the set.
The Lady Eagles stopped the 9-0 run with a kill from Rhiannon Keck and an attack error from the Rams. The Rams pushed out to a nine-point lead again on the next two serves.
The two teams traded back points on the next several serves, with the Lady Eagles not trying to end the match early. Unfortunately, the Lady Eagles took the set three loss after the Rams ended the set and match 25-15. The Rams took the match 3-0 despite the Lady Eagles battling the entire match.
Allyse Rudolph led the Lady Eagles in kills for the third match in a row. She had 10 kills and also nine digs. Hannah Bryan led Faulkner in digs with 12. The Lady Eagles had two players with double-digit assists. Mandi Hart led the team again with 14. Ellie Cyr had 12 of her own.
The Lady Eagles return to action when they hit the road on Friday, Oct. 11, and Oct. 12 for the Missouri Baptist Tournament in St. Louis, Mo., at the Carl & Deloris Petty SRC. The Lady Eagles take on No. 24 McPherson College and Saint Ambrose University at 12:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on day one. On day two, Faulkner battles two teams receiving votes in the NAIA Women's Volleyball Coach's Top 25 poll with Missouri Baptist University and Lindsey Wilson College. The first serve for those two matches are 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
