MARIETTA, Ga. — The Life University women's volleyball team continued their 2023 season-opening tournament down in West Palm, facing stiff competition against #8 Missouri Baptist and the host of the tournament Keiser University. In the first match, the Running Eagles fell in four sets to a talented Missouri Baptist team before besting Keiser 3-1.
Match 1: Missouri Baptist 3, Life U 1
The Running Eagles held strong against the talented Missouri Baptist team that reached the final site of pool play last year, seeing sets two and three extending into extra-point scenarios. In the first set, Life U jumped out to an impressive 7-1 advantage before eventually losing the frame 25-18. The second set saw the Running Eagles hold set point three separate times before eventually falling 28-26. Carrying that momentum from set two into set three, Life U. came out on top with a frame win, 27-25. The Running Eagles wrapped the frame up with an emphatic kill from Fayola Louis and a MoBap attacking error. Set four was again close, but, in the end, the Running Eagles fell 25-22.
Life U tallied 49 kills but committed more errors than the Spartans as Fayola Louis continued her stellar weekend run, leading the team with 12 kills and 18 digs.
Naomi Eckert Rivera also continued to impress for the Green and White with 37 assists.
Match 2: Life U 3, Keiser 1
The Running Eagles held strong against Keiser, downing the Seahawks 3-1 for their first win of the season. The women's team took the match with three consecutive sets, besting the Seahawks in set two after extras (27-25) before earning wins in sets three and four (25-19, 25-19).
Life U actually had fewer overall kills than KU with 27, but the Running Eagles dominated with ten aces and 13 blocks to earn their first win of the season. Offensively led by freshman Lela Parker (14 kills), Chloe Teter followed with twelve kills while Fayola Louis recorded eight to continue her noteworthy run. Naomi Eckert again led the team with 28 assists. Defensively, Je'Bria Green recorded a staggering nine blocks in the win.
Up next, the Running Eagles face D3 opponent Emory University this upcoming Tuesday at 4 pm.
