MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Faulkner (6-7, 1-0 SSAC) had the eight-mile ride back to campus to think about missed opportunities after falling in a reverse sweep (25-22, 25-20, 25-27, 23-25, 13-15) to crosstown rival Huntingdon (2-2) at Roland Arena on Thursday night. In a matchup that ended up being almost completely even on the stat sheet, the Lady Eagles held match point 24-22 in the third frame before the DIII Hawks extended the contest with a 5-1 run and finished with just enough momentum to win the last two sets by the minimum.
It was the Lady Eagles with the comeback to begin the match as the Hawks led 10-4 and 13-6 before Faulkner took nine of the next 12 rallies to get within one, reaching set point with a 7-1 run and finally tucking away the set after three straight Huntingdon points with a block by Madison Martin and Riley Deem. An 8-0 run put Faulkner ahead 11-4 in the second set and used two 3-0 runs to extend the lead. The hosts showed signs of what was to come with an 8-1 run to get within four points before Jakaya Smith's kill made the match 2-0.
The teams traded points and runs as the third set saw nine lead changes. Trailing 21-20, the Lady Eagles reached match point with an error and kills by Emmagin Spencer, Aubrie Hinson and Olivia Kelly. Five of the next six went to the Hawks as they scratched back the set. Huntingdon then led 8-2 in the fourth set. Faulkner answered back with an 8-1 lead before losing the lead again with a five-point swoon. The visitors would tie it back at 21 apiece before the Hawks took two straight points, set point and then the frame off a trade of service errors.
Faulkner wasn't done yet, taking a 6-3 lead off a block by Smith and Martin and a 9-5 lead off a solo Martin rejection. The hosts then got within one once more on a Salome De Jesus ace and tied it up on a bad set. Caroline Sticker then got on a heater, scoring three of the next four points to give her team a 13-11 lead, one point from another match point. A service error began to spell doom however, and De Jesus then shared consecutive blocks with A'Kirra McElveen before finishing off the comeback with a kill.
Cheyenne Ashworth led the Hawks with 11 kills on .346 hitting. Kinsley Martin dug 21 attacks. De Jesus, a transfer from AUM, scored a double-double with 18 digs and 10 kills. Morgan Suggs was just behind with 18 digs and nine kills. Destin Roberts joined De Jesus with 24 assists and 10 digs. McElveen and Sara Cochran scored eight kills each for a well-rounded team effort.
Smith led all players with 14 kills to go with 15 digs. Sticker put up 14 digs and 11 kills. Kelly joined the double-double club while tying her career high of 35 assists, set on Tuesday against Pensacola Christian, with 15 digs as well as three aces and three kills. Deem scored 10 kills, as she and Smith both tallied three block assists. Jaylyn Strength led both sides with 33 digs while assisting five kills and serving three aces. Chasity Broadhead put up nine assists and six digs, and Martin scored six kills, six digs and five total blocks.
SSAC play gets into full swing next week as Faulkner travels to UT Southern on Sep. 18 for a 6 pm first serve.
