MONTGOMERY, Ala. ---- The Life University women's volleyball team competed in the Faulkner Invitational to open up the 2019 season with a 2-2 finish over the weekend.
To start the tournament, the Running Eagles battled the Crusaders from William Carey University. After losing the first two sets, Life U bounced back to win sets three and four 25-21 and 35-33. In the decisive fifth set, Life U brought the match to within two 9-7, but a late 4-0 run from the Crusaders gave William Carey the 15-12 victory. Individually,
Lena Pucnik finished with a team-high 20 kills as
Michele O'Haver added 18 digs.
Taylor Parrish recorded an astonishing 61 kills as
Mary Zimmerman (16)
Destinee Benton (12) and
Zykeria Allen (11) all picked up double digit kills. The full box score for the match can be found here:
Life U vs William Carey Box Score.
In the final match of the first day, Life U faced host Faulkner University. Faulkner took the first set 25-20. Trailing 20-12 in the second set, Life U stormed back to take a 23-22 lead. Faulkner landed on set point ahead 25-24 but the Running Eagles responded with two straight. Faulkner tied the set at 26 before kills from
Marin Black and Benton gave the Running Eagles the second set. Life U also won the third set 25-19, but fell 25-12 in the fourth. In the fifth, Faulkner jumped out to an early 7-1 lead, however a 9-2 run swung the lead in favor of Life U 12-11. The match remained tied back and forth, but when both teams were tied at 16 a kill from Benton put the Running Eagles on match point.
Fayola Louis served an ace to seal the five set victory 18-16 for Life U. The full box score for the match can be found here:
Life U vs Faulkner Box Score.
Life U began the second day of the tournament with its third five set match of the tournament against Webber International. Webber took the first set 25-21, however Life U bounced back to take sets two and three 25-15 and 25-21. The Warriors took the fourth set 25-22 to force a fifth set. Life U led 10-7 in the fifth set, but the Warriors would finish the match on an 8-0 run to win 15-10. Benton and Zimmerman each finished with 12 kills as Parrish added 39 assists and 10 digs for the double-double. Black led the way defensively with 27 digs as
Alia Dorland (16) and O'Haver (12) also finished in double digits with digs. The full box score for the match can be found here:
Life U vs Webber Box Score.
The Running Eagles finished the tournament against the University of Mobile. Both teams battled in the first set back and forth as Mobile tied the set at 23. An attack error and kill from Louis gave Life U the first set win 25-23. The second set proved to be just as close as Mobile led 24-22 late in the set, but a 2-0 run from Life U tied the set. The two teams traded points until Mobile took the second set 28-27. Life U finished the match with consecutive 25-20 results in sets three and four. Louis led the way offensively with 23 kills as Pucnik (13) and Zimmerman (10) also finished in double figures. Parrish added another 50 assists to her total with Black picking up 24 assists. Pucnik also tallied her second double-double of the tournament with 10 digs. The full box score for the match can be found here:
Life U vs Mobile Box Score.
The Running Eagles will return to action on Tuesday, August 27 when they host Point University at 5 PM in the home opener at the upper gym on campus.
