Montgomery, Ala.- The Lady Eagles hosted UT Southern Friday afternoon for the SSAC Volleyball Game of the Week. Faulkner started hot with a 2-0 lead, but in the third set, the Firehawks came out swinging and picked up the third set. In the fourth set, the Lady Eagles jumped out with a big lead and never looked back. Faulkner picked up the set and the match 3-1 over the Firehawks.
Faulkner 3, UT Southern 1 (25-20, 25-20, 23-25, 25-19)
The Lady Eagles started set one with a hot streak. Faulkner found themselves up 12-4 early in the set. The Firehawks slowly crawled back, but the Lady Eagles would continue to push their lead with several 3-0 runs.
Late in the match, with the Lady Eagles up 23-12, UT Southern went on their own run, scoring four straight points to bring the lead down to seven. A Victoria Wheeler kill put the lead back to eight, but the Firehawks were not going without a fight. They put up four more points to draw within four. On the next serve, the Lady Eagles took set one behind another kill from Wheeler. Faulkner ended the set 25-20.
In set two, the Lady Eagles continued to pour on the points. Faulkner started the match with four straight points after the Firehawks scored on the first serve.
The two teams traded points on the next three serves. The Lady Eagles extended their lead with a 5-0 run to push their lead to 7.
For the next several serves, each team would have their own several runs. The Firehawks climbed back down 16-15. Faulkner pushed the lead to three after a pair of kills from Allyse Rudolph and Rhiannon Keck.
The Firehawks scored on the next serve from a kill from Sophia Ortega. Faulkner added two more after a service error from the Firehawks and an ace from Ellie Cyr.
In the next several serves, the teams traded points until Faulkner took the set with three straight points behind two kills from Hannah Bryan and an ace from Mandi Hart. Faulkner won set two 25-20 again.
The Firehawks tested the Lady Eagles in the third set. For the first several serves, the two teams went back and forth, scoring points.
The Firehawks held on to a lead for the majority of the match, but the Lady Eagles took the lead eventually after a pair of kills from Hannah Bryan and Kendall Rice and an ace from Ashton McCullar. Faulkner finally led again after trailing, but the Firehawks took the lead back on the next few serves.
UT Southern jumped out to a four-point lead late in the set. Faulkner fought back to tie the set up 22-22.
On the next serve, the Firehawks took the lead yet again, but Faulkner quickly tied it up after an attack error from UT Southern.
On the next two serves, the Firehawks stole the third set 25-23 and avoided the 3-0 sweep.
With the fourth set underway and the Lady Eagles looking to pick up the match win. Faulkner jumped out to a 7-0 lead. The huge lead came behind several kills from the Lady Eagles, an ace from Hannah Bryan, and an attack error from the FIrehawks.
The Firehawks then drew within three after four straight points to bring the score to 7-4.
For the next several serves, the Firehawks were able to tie the game up 12-12. Faulkner then went up three after two kills from Rhiannon Keck and an attack error from UT Southern.
From there, the Lady Eagles held on to their lead, but the Firehawks never quit. Faulkner eventually overpowered the Firehawks and took the set with four points in the last five serves.
Charlee Jordan put the Lady Eagles up 24-19 with a kill, and on the next serve, the Lady Eagles pulled out the victory after a block from Allyse Rudolph and Victoria Wheeler. The final score sat 25-19, and the Lady Eagles won 3-1 in the SSAC Volleyball Game of the Week.
The Lady Eagles had four players with double-digit kills. Allyse Rudolph led the way with 14 kills. She also had 10 digs, giving her a double-double. Charlee Jordan had 13 kills. Rhiannon Keck had 11 and Hannah Bryan had 10. Ashton McCullar led the Lady Eagles in digs with 16. Mandi Hart had 32 assists to lead the team. Ellie Cyr also reached double digits in assists with 19.
The Lady Eagles return to action for back-to-back SSAC play on Saturday, Sept. 28. They host Blue Mountain at 2 p.m.
