HENDERSON — In their first home match of the season, the Freed-Hardeman University Lady Lions hosted the Blue Mountain Christian (Miss.) Toppers in Tuesday action. Neither team would be able to pull away in a five-set match that ended with the Toppers winning 3-2 (18-25, 25-21, 25-23, 23-25, 15-13).
Though the guests pulled ahead to a 5-1 advantage, the Lady Lions (0-5) battled back until a kill from
Marija Cabadaj was followed by a service ace from
Teodora Dacic to knot the set 6-6. With
Hanaé Bezerga holding service, FHU scored four unanswered points, including an ace, and back-to-back kills from Cabadaj. Later in the set,
Ana Coker's give gave the Lady Lions a 20-12 lead they would maintain until winning the opening frame 25-18.
Blue Mountain Christian (3-1) answered in the second set despite a strong push by FHU. The Lady Lions scored six consecutive points including two kills from Cabadaj and an ace from
Becca Heineman to take an 11-9 lead. The Toppers began scoring late until their final two points ended the set 25-21 and tied the match.
The difference-maker in the third set was a four-point swing by the Toppers setting the score at 17-12. Dacic put momentum back in FHU's corner with a big kill with that momentum pushing Heineman to pull FHU within one point with a kill making the deficit 19-18.
Morgan Jackson pushed the tie late in the set to 23-23 with a kill, but BMCU added the final two points to win the set.
Needing to answer in the fourth, the Lady Lions pushed four fast points to take a 7-2 advantage. In a similar vein as the third set, the 20s were full of ties and one-point leads. Down by one point and coming out of a timeout, Coker smacked a kill to tie the set at 23-23 before Jackson and Cabadaj forced the fifth set with back-to-back kills.
In the decisive fifth set,
Marija Milic was involved with a kill before her block tied the set 4-4. The Toppers would add some breathing room by scoring four straight points to lead 10-5. Never settling, kills from Jackson and Dacic helped FHU knot the set as late as 12-12, but BMCU was able to touch 15 first to win the set 15-13 and the match 3-2.
The Lady Lions led nearly every statistical category, including out-killing the opposition 66 to 46. FHU had 80 digs to BMCU's 78.
Teodora Dacic led FHU with a double-double, connecting for 17 kills and 22 digs: team-highs in both.
Becca Heineman also got a double-double with 13 digs to go with her 29 assists with
Alyssa Austin joining with a 14-dig 23-assist double-double.
Marija Cabadaj was also on the prowl offensively with 13 kills
Â
Up Next
The Lady Lions hit the road again for the UHSP Tournament. In St. Louis, the Lady Lions will battle Friends (Kan.) University on August 28 at 3:00 p.m. before battling the Brescia (Ky.) Bearcats at 7:00 p.m. They play two more games on August 29, first against York (Neb.) at 11:00 a.m. before concluding the Classic against William Penn (Iowa) at 3:00 p.m.
