MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Faulkner wrapped up its home-opening stretch of the season in the 26th annual Faulkner Invitational at Tine Davis Gymnasium with its first win of the season.
FAULKNER 3, WEBBER INTERNATIONAL (25-23, 29-27, 19-25, 25-21)
The Lady Eagles had its biggest lead of the day at 14-9 with a four-point span featuring two Webber International errors, a kill by Riley Deem and an ace by Olivia Kelly. The Warriors responded with a 9-0 run before the next five rallies went to Faulkner, including a Kynsi Hazzard kill, a Caroline Sticker ace and a block by Deem and Jakaya Smith. The teams volleyed points back and forth before three of the last four went to the hosts, scored on a service error, a bad set and a Jaylyn Strength ace.
Webber led 23-19 in the second set, but Faulkner took six of the next seven rallies with kills from Emmagin Spencer, Smith, Deem and Hazzard to lead 25-24. The Warriors then made it set point themselves with a 26-25 lead and then tied it at 27 apiece before Smith cashed in on two swings off dishes from Kelly to make the match 2-0. Faulkner tied up the third set 14-all with an 8-2 run while the next five points and the momentum went to WIU. Tied at 12 apiece in the fourth, a Deem kill, a Strength ace and a block by Smith and Emma Hayes put the Lady Eagles in the lead for good. Hayes, the middle from Panama City, Fla., polished off the first win of her freshman season and her first game in Tine Davis with a kill off the Kelly assist.
Deem led her squad with 15 kills on .433 hitting. Strength led the floor with 33 scoops. Both main setters tallied double-doubles, as Kelly tallied 28 assists and 20 digs, and Chasity Broadhead put up 13 assists and 13 digs. Smith, Strength, Deem and Kelly each had two aces.
REINHARDT 3, FAULKNER 1 (25-13, 20-25, 27-25, 25-18)
Reinhardt used timely and lengthy runs to get the best of the host Lady Eagles, nullifying a 3-0 start to the match for Faulkner. Smith scored 13 kills, and Hazzard scored 12 on .407 hitting as Deem added nine. Strength and Smith put up 19 and 14 digs, respectively. Kelly dished out 32 assists.
INDIANA SOUTHEAST 3, FAULKNER 1 (25-19, 25-20, 16-25, 25-23)
IU Southeast achieved their momentum in much the same way. The Grenadiers used runs of 8-2, 4-0 and 5-0 to take set one before jumping out to a 14-3 lead on the way to claiming the second set. It was Faulkner's turn to do so in the third frame with two 4-0 stretches, the longest of the period by any time, and a 6-1 span to go up 23-14.
Faulkner looked to be on its way to forcing a fifth as it opened the fourth with a 7-1 run including aces by Kelly and Sticker and two blocks, the first from Deem and Hazzard and the second by Deem and Aubrie Hinson. Those hopes all but vanished as the Grenadiers took 16 of the next 20 points. After taking a timeout, the Lady Eagles got within one with a 6-1 run and then tied it at 21 and 22 apiece. Three of the last four rallies were won by IUS. Kelly fired four aces in the losing effort.
BRYAN 3, FAULKNER 0 (25-15, 26-24, 25-22)
For the last contest, the Lady Eagles matched up with a fired-up Bryan squad, falling behind early with sustained Lion runs to lose an early 5-1 lead. Faulkner kept it closer in the second frame, tying it at 24 to force extra points before falling. Trailing 12-10 in the final frame, the Lady Eagles took the lead with two kills by Deem off Kelly assists and an ace by Jo Lundy. However, trailing Faulkner 18-16, Bryan broke off a 6-0 run that put them firmly in the driver's seat.
Faulkner will travel to its sister school and the alma mater of head coach Tori Renda next weekend for the FHU Labor Day Tournament from September 4-5.
