Freed-Hardeman University

ST. LOUIS — Freed-Hardeman University's Lady Lion volleyball team picked up its first two victories on the first day of the Eutectic Classic. Both matches went the distance with FHU defeating Friends (Kan.) University 3-2 (25-21, 17-25, 25-19, 24-26, 25-10) before wrapping the day with a win over Brescia (Ky.) University 3-2 (23-25, 29-27, 25-17, 23-25, 15-11).
 

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Match 1

Freed-Hardeman - 3
Friends - 2

Across the five-set contest, the Lady Lions (1-5) and the Falcons had 32 ties and 11 lead changes. In the first set, FHU used a kill from Marija Cabadaj and a service ace from Cate Schroer to take an 11-8 lead and put pressure on the opposition. Later, kills from Ana Coker and Teodora Dacic sandwiched a Becca Heineman ace to force a Friends timeout with the Lady Lions leading 15-10. Coker put a bow on the first set with a kill to win the set 25-21.

After Friends (2-3) evened up the match by winning the second set, Hanaé Bezerga confounded the Falcons by recording four service aces in the middle of an 8-0 run. Marija Milic joined Cabadaj to win the set with a tandem block to claim the set 25-19.

Needing a fifth set to determine a victor after the Falcons won the fourth set, FHU again leaned on their serving with Heineman racking up two more aces to help push FHU to an 8-4 lead. It was Dacic that secured FHU's first victory with a kill to win the set 15-10 and the match 3-2.

Teodora Dacic led the offense with 14 kills, while Marija Cabadaj had 12 kills at a .333 clip. Ana Coker and Olivia Saint each hit 10 kills in the victory. Hanaé Bezerga lifted a team-high 19 digs.
 

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Match 2

Brescia - 2
Freed-Hardeman - 3

It was a comeback victory in the second match of the day after the Lady Lions (2-5) fell in the opening frame. The FHU fight was shown in the ensuing set when FHU and Brescia battled well past 25 points. The Lady Lions stormed to a quick lead with Cate Schroer connecting for two aces before slamming a kill herself to give FHU a 9-3 lead in the second set. Brescia used a 6-0 run later in the set to flip the scoreboard and take an 18-17 lead. The Lady Lions and Bearcats battled past 25 points until the FHU won the set 29-27.

Marija Milic and Allie Lowhorn smacked back-to-back kills to open the second set to take a lead over Brescia (2-4). Brescia stayed within striking distance the rest of the set with Hanaé Bezerga's ace giving FHU an 18-12. Milic tallied back-to-back aces down the stretch before Ana Coker put FHU up two sets to one with a 25-17 set win.

Despite Brescia forcing a fifth set with a win in the fourth, the Lady Lions saved their biggest push until the final points, with Lowhorn dealing the final blow to give FHU their second five-set win of the day.

Olivia Saint and Teodora Dacic led the way with 14 kills each, while Ana Coker was right behind them with 13 kills. Hanaé Bezerga led the back row with 21 digs, with Cate Schroer pulling up 13 and Alyssa Austin earning a double-double with 11 digs and 27 assists.

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