MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Faulkner (2-3) handily took the first set of its home opener over Reinhardt (7-3) on the first day of the 25th annual Faulkner Invitational, but the visiting Eagles answered with a vengeance in the next three frames to win (16-25, 25-14, 25-18, 25-15) on Friday night at Tine Davis Gymnasium. 

The host Eagles claimed the opening frame with 17 kills to Reinhardt's nine and winning the hitting battle .394 to .182. However, the visitors tallied double-digit kills in each frame from there on, hitting .458 in the second set and .268 in the third and fourth, while holding Faulkner to under .100 in each and a maximum of nine kills. Reinhardt claimed all major statistical categories.  

Kaylee Cantlin, Juliette Baffico and Jenna Smith all had double-digit kills for RU. The lone such player for Faulkner was Allyse Rudolph with 10 kills on .219 hitting with 10 digs. She was one of three Lady Eagles to register double-doubles along with the two setters running the 6-2 offense. Mandi Hart dished out 21 assists and dug 13 attacks. Ellie Cyr had 15 assists and 12 digs to go with five kills and two aces. Charlee Jordan and Kaleigh Moss had nine and eight kills, respectively.  

Faulkner takes on Southeastern tomorrow at 11 am in the second match of Day Two before capping off the event with a 3 pm match versus former SSAC rival Stillman.