HENDERSON — The Lady Lions of Freed-Hardeman University and the Phoenix of Cumberland (Tenn.) University saw 27 ties and 15 lead changes in a five-set match which saw the hosts fall 3-2 (21-25, 25-21, 23-25, 25-20, 15-13) on Tuesday night.

FHU (9-5, 0-2 MSC) started the match promisingly by jumping ahead to a 7-2 advantage after a pair of kills from Alanys Ruíz Rivera. In the early run of the set, the Lady Lions never let the Phoenix hold service for longer than two rallies until a push from the visitors tally six points to FHU's two to narrow the Lady Lion lead to 21-19. Kills from Ann Elise Jackson and Catherine Hackett would shut the door on CU in a 25-21 set victory.

In the second set, Cumberland (10-11, 1-0 MSC) jumped ahead to a 5-2 lead that - while small - was the largest lead either team would hold in a set which featured 10 ties and four lead exchanges. The Phoenix would eventually pull out to an 18-14 advantage, but a pair of Ruíz Rivera kills would be followed by an ace from the senior transfer to knot the set 19-19. FHU ran out of steam late in the set, seeing Cumberland score five of the final six points to tie the match at 1-1.

As if the narrow second set was not enough, the third set saw the Phoenix and the Lady Lions combine for 10 ties and six lead trades. Despite FHU opening the third set on a 6-0 run, Cumberland slowly climbed back into the third set before erasing the deficit and tying up the frame 13-13. Avery Young would notch a pair of late kills before a service ace helped the Lady Lions over the edge to take a 2-1 match lead.

While FHU took the early lead in the third set, it was the Phoenix who marched out to a 6-2 lead in the fourth, taking advantage of four attack errors. Hackett would take the serve after a Young kill, where she had back-to-back service aces to help flip the lead to 7-6. A five-point unanswered streak in the middle of the set gave Cumberland a lead they would be able to maintain to force a decisive fifth set.

With the previous sets being back-and-forth, it was a change of pace to see the Lady Lions storm out to a 12-6 lead. Cumberland would battle back and collect the next seven points to stun FHU and take a 13-12 lead before putting a wrap on the match by reaching 15 first.

FHU was led by 16-kill performances from Catherine Hackett and Avery Young, while Alanys Ruíz Rivera chipped in with 13 kills. Young finished with a double-double by pulling up 14 digs, trailing Charley Fulton's 18 and Masey Kate Adams' 17 digs. Adams would have a double-double by also leading the way with 47 assists.
 

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Up Next

FHU will take a breather for a little more than a week, hitting the court next against Campbellsville (Ky.) University on Friday, September 29 at 7:00 p.m.