WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. — The Lady Lions of Freed-Hardeman University out-blocked the Lady Eagles of Williams Baptist (Ark.) University 14-3 on their way to a 3-1 victory (25-19, 21-25, 25-18, 25-13).

Freed-Hardeman (8-2) never let the hosting Eagles keep service longer than two rallies, running ahead to a 13-7 lead to force a WBU timeout. After the break, the Lady Lions watched as the Eagles would win seven of the next 10 points to pull within three; however, a block and a kill from Avery Harris helped FHU seal the opening frame with a 25-19 win.

Hunting for their first win of the season, Williams Baptist (0-5) opened the second set with a 3-0 run, before a service error preceded three straight FHU kills to flip the score and take a 4-3 lead. The tightly-contested second set featured four lead changes and 10 ties before an FHU service error evened the match 1-1 with a 25-21 set win for WBU.

The Lady Lions were clearly frustrated with dropping the second set, storming into the third set with five straight kills amid a Masey Kate Adams service ace and an Ann Elise Jackson and Catherine Hackett block to jump out to an 8-1 lead. The comfortable lead shrank and eventually evaporated when the Eagles rattled off seven consecutive points to tie the set at 16-16. The Lady Lions bounced back to win eight of the final 10 points before Avery Young slammed home the set-winner for a 25-18 score.

Freed-Hardeman blocked six attacks from Williams Baptist to keep the Eagles at bay in the fourth set, claiming the set 25-13 to win the match 3-1.

The FHU blockers were perfectly in sync, seeing 12 different points won by tandem blocks with Avery Harris sending back two solo stuffs. 

Ann Elise Jackson led the FHU attackers with 10 kills at a .421 clip. Jackson also helped defensively with five block assists. Charley Fulton led the back row with 21 digs, while Alanys Ruíz Rivera pulled up 12 and Masey Kate Adams getting 10 digs. Adams also led the team with 15 assists to pick up her third consecutive double-double.
 

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Up Next

FHU will get a sneak preview of Mid-South Conference play by visiting Bethel (Tenn.) Univesrity on Tuesday, September 12 at 7:00 p.m. 

The Lady Lions will take a two-match non-conference tour of Arkansas to face Lyon (Ark.) College and Crowley's Ridge (Ark.) College before opening league play in earnest back in Henderson on Tuesday, September 19 against Cumberland (Tenn.) University.