MARIETTA, Ga. ---- The (RV) Life University women's volleyball team got back on track Tuesday night with a 3-1 win over Freed-Hardeman University in Mid-South Conference action. The team totaled a program-high 16 service aces in the win.
NOTES
• Life U improved to 22-6 (6-3) on the year as Freed-Hardeman dropped to 13-10 (2-6).
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
• Lena Pucnik led the Running Eagles offensively and tallied a double-double with 16 kills and 16 digs. She added three service aces as well
• Caitlyn Neal totaled 17 kills and 10 digs with a pair of service aces. Julia Mollick finished with nine kills, two block assists and a .400 hitting percentage.
• Brie Montgomery picked up 44 assists in the match with five service aces, six digs and two kills. Marin Black tallied 29 digs with five service aces.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Freed-Hardeman jumped out to an early 12-3 lead in set one as the Running Eagles struggled to get the offense rolling. Life U was never able to overcome the early deficit as the Lions took the first set 25-18.
• Life U trailed 7-4 early in the second set, before an 11-1 run put the Running Eagles ahead 15-8. Freed-Hardeman cut the lead to two, 20-18, late in the set, however Life U finished the set with a kill from Mollick to win 25-18.
• Life U led 7-4 early in set three after the ace from Black, but Freed-Hardeman quickly tied the set after a pair of errors and a kill. Tied at 12, Life U went on its longest run of the day to close out the third set with the 13-1 run to win the third set 25-13.
• Using the momentum from the third set, Life U jumped out to an early 7-1 lead in set four. Freed-Hardeman battled its way back to a 12-12 tie, before a 9-2 run from Life U was finished on the ace from Black to give the Running Eagles the 21-14 lead. The Lions refused to give up as they brought the score to within three, 22-19, but a kill from C. Neal gave the match to Life U 25-20.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• Life U led Freed-Hardeman in kills 53-39. Life U finished with a hitting percentage of .205 as Freed-Hardeman finished with a .141.
• Life U led Faulkner 50-34 in assists and 74-62 in digs.
• Life U edged Freed-Hardeman in aces 16-4, however Freed-Hardeman led 5-3 in blocks.
UP NEXT
• The women's volleyball team will return to action on Saturday, March 20, when they continue MSC play and host Bethel University in the Eagles' Nest at 1 PM.
