HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The fans at Ben Waddle Complex on the campus of William Carey University were treated to another classic between Faulkner (7-12, 2-7 SSAC) and the host Lady Crusaders (14-9, 7-2 SSAC), as the Lady Eagles pulled off the inverse of last season's five-setter in Hattiesburg when William Carey took the third and fourth sets to tie the match before Faulkner pulled it out in the fifth. This time, it was the visitors who stormed back after dropping the opening pair of frames before WCU withstood another Eagle rally in the fifth to clinch the win (25-23, 25-18, 15-25, 22-25, 15-13).
Faulkner claimed the categories of points 78-68, kills 63-50, aces 11-10, assists 59-45 and digs 87-69. However, Carey earned the win thanks to winning errors committed 22-36, hitting percentage .168 to .152 and blocks 8-4. The Lady Eagles scored more kills in four of five frames, but errors were their kryptonite in two of those, the first and final ones. Natalie Bartholomew and Agnes Hegardt led the Lady Crusaders with 15 kills apiece, with the latter's kills coming on just 27 swings for a .556 hitting percentage and the former also led the team with 14 digs. Katarina Vulic dished out 26 assists.
Four Lady Eagles scored in double digits. Allyse Rudolph put up her fifth double-double of the season with 16 kills, leading the team, and 18 digs. Riley Deem scored 12 kills. Madison Martin scored 11 kills on .381 hitting with two block assists. Kaleigh Moss led her squad with four aces with 10 kills, seven digs and two blocks. Charlee Jordan added seven kills, and Kynsi Hazzard put up four kills and two blocks in her Faulkner debut. Mandi Hart was her usual self with 24 assists and 13 scoops for her seventh double-double of 2025, and Ellie Cyr was just behind her with 23 dimes and 13 digs for her third. Jaylyn Strength reached the benchmark of 10 in both categories for the first time in her career with 21 scoops and 10 assists. Kolbi Bates scooped eight attacks. Rudolph, Strength and Cyr each served a pair of aces, and Hart had one.
Faulkner makes the trek to the Big Easy tonight as it takes on Loyola tomorrow afternoon at 1 pm, looking to finish what it started against Carey in avenging a 3-1 home SSAC loss.
