August 26, 2022

by Dustin Semore, Sports Information Director

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Hours after winning the season's first match in convincing fashion, the Freed-Hardeman University Lady Lions stumbled against the strong serving prowess of the Harris-Stowe State (Mo.) University Hornets. With 13 service aces, the Hornets claimed victory in a 3-2 (25-19, 15-25, 25-21, 14-25, 15-13) match.

Freed-Hardeman (1-1) had difficulty early timing their swings that showed in the form of three straight attack errors, forcing an early timeout with the Lady Lions trailing 10-5. At set point for HSSU, a service error from the Hornets put the ball into senior Bryce Morris's hands where she started a 4-0 run with an ace of her own. Ultimately, the Hornets claimed victory in the opening frame 25-19.

Adleigh Mayes took over for the Lady Lions at the stripe, beginning rallies that began with Jayden Watkins and Catherine Hacket blocking an attempted Harris-Stowe (1-1) attack and ended with FHU ahead 9-3. From there, the teams traded sideouts at 14-12 in favor of FHU until Charley Fulton baffled the Hornet offense, who prompltly committed five consecutive attack errors. Two of those errors came thanks to the Lady Lion front row where Ann Elise Jackson was assisted on back-to-back stuffs by Hackett and Kacey Donegan. Allie Humphry served FHU out after a set of kills tied the Lady Lions and the Hornets at one set each.

Despite committing a match-high eight errors in the middle frame, FHU kept the match close with HSSU who - incidentally - also committed eight attack errors in the set. The difference in the set came in the form of the Hornets connecting for 13 kills, while the Lady Lions tagged 10. In the end, the Hornets took the third set 25-21.

Mayes continued to be comfortable at the service line, spearheading a 6-0 run to begin the fourth set and keep the Lady Lions' hope alive. Freed-Hardemen never allowed Harris-Stowe to accumulate more than two successive points in the penultimate set. In the end it was back-to-back kills from Watkins that forced the decisive fifth set.

Though strong at the service stripe, it was not until the fifth set that Mayes recorded an ace when back-to-back service aces gave FHU a slim 3-2 lead. HSSU answered with a set of aces of their own to reach seven first with FHU trailling by two. The teams would swap points until back-to-back kills from the Hornets ended the set and match in favor of HSSU 15-13.

For the second straight match, Wakins paced the Lady Lion attack - completing 14 kills in Friday's second match. Donegan closely followed with nine kills and as many digs. Bryce Morris kept the ball alive in the backcourt, recording 10 digs. Mayes and Allie Humphry were the one-two setting team with Humphry leading with 17 assists and Mayes tallying 15 helpers. At the net Jackson was virtually immovable in the match, blocking three Hornet attacks by herself while assisting on seven more.