MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The Life University women's volleyball team competed in a tough SSAC pool play contest against the higher-seeded Loyola University (New Orleans) Friday, besting the Wolfpack, 3-1. The win shook the standings in pool play, resulting in an initial three-way tie between William Carey, Loyola, and Life University.
The Running Eagles and Crusaders from William Carey battled in a one-set play-in match to determine the final semifinal spot with the Crusaders eventually coming out on top, 26-24.
In the Loyola match, the Running Eagles ran away with the the first set 25-12 as Fayola Louis found eight of her 13 kills in the opening set alone, emphatically recording the final three kills of the opening frame.
The Wolfpack then leveled the match back at one apiece in the next set claiming a 25-16 set win.
With both teams tied with one set win each, the Running Eagles claimed an all-important set three win. A Lena Pucnik kill pushed the Life U. lead further ahead to 18-7, before a Loyola attacking error furthered the separation by another point. An 8-2 run brought the Wolfpack back into contention, 20-15, but the Running Eagles were able to steady the Wolfpack attack to win the set 25-18.
The fourth set began in favor of Life University, as Fayola Louis and Chloe Teter recorded kills to go ahead 5-3. A 6-2 run then further distanced the favorable lead for Life U. with Lena Pucnik recording a kill to increase the gap, 11-5.
Loyola closed the deficit to 12-8, but the Running Eagles dominated the final set recording twelve of the final 17 points en route to a 25-18 win.
Individually, Lena Pucnik, Fayola Louis and Chloe Teter all reached the double digit mark in kills as Madison Lee recorded 37 assists. The combination of Morgan Furness, Macey Sipmann and Chloe Teter accounted for nine blocks, with Pucnik and Kennedy Neal tallying five combined aces in the match.
SSAC All-Freshman Team member Amanda Ray served as the libero in the match recording a team-high 17 digs.
Following the win, the Running Eagles faced William Carey to determine which team would move on to the SSAC semifinal. The Crusaders narrowly came out on top of the one-set tie-breaker 26-24, ending the Running Eagles' 2022 campaign. Life University held an initial set-point advantage 24-23, but, for the second-consecutive day, a three-point by WCU concluded the match.
With no bid to the NAIA Championship, the 2022 women's volleyball season comes to a close.
