BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – In the midst of a challenging stretch of opponents with winning records, the Alabama State University women's volleyball team fell, 3-0, against the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs on Saturday morning inside Paul Porter Arena.
The Lady Hornets (0-7 overall) found a great amount of success in an extended first set, posting a better hitting percentage while holding a lead late in the opening set. However, whatever momentum was picked up by claiming the opener was used to secure a sweep for the Runnin' Bulldogs (4-2), giving the Big South Conference school its second win in as many games.
A short advantage was taken by GWU early on, as it claimed the first six points and ran off another four points on a series of serving plays. Alabama State fought back with a number of different players, getting four kills from three different players to draw within one. It became a back-and-forth affair through the middle of the first set before the Bulldogs ran ahead with seven of ten points to make it 21-16.
As it regathered, the Lady Hornets battled back with eight of the next nine points with
Mirra Riddle handling service duties, going ahead 24-22. It was the first and last advantage for ASU, as Gardner-Webb won the final four points to claim the 1-0 edge.
From there, the Bulldogs' defense held off the Hornets in the next two sets. The middle frame was a clean, 25-15 victory, and it handled a run of seven of eight points in the midst of the third and stole back the lead on its way to a 25-18 closing win.
Junior setter
Kamrynn Clay had another near-flawless performance in the assist game, successfully setting up 27 points for ASU.
Kaylen Hines had ten kills on a 42.1 percent attack success rate to go along with 1.5 blocks, while
Lyric Edwards and
Julia Slaughter recorded a pair of block assists each. The team numbers were tight, with Gardner-Webb holding a slim advantage in assists (37-33) and digs (31-27).
The Lady Hornets return home for its home tournament, the ISTAP Collegiate Cup, inside the Joe L. Reed Dunn-Oliver Acadome, on Friday, Sept. 11, and Saturday, Sept. 12. It welcomes South Carolina State, Miami (Ohio) and Nicholls State to Montgomery for the two-day, six-match event. The Hornets open its three-match slate against South Carolina State on Sept. 11 at 10 a.m.
