After a sluggish start and losing the first set to Miami Hamilton on Saturday, the Golden Eagles volleyball team was forced to win three straight sets as they outlasted the Harriers in a 3-1 match win. The visitors won the first set 25-23, but KSU Tusc won the next three sets in identical scores of 25-21, 25-21, 25-21.
Down 3-1 early in the first, the Harriers ripped off 11 straight points to take a 12-3 lead. It took everything the Eagles had to make the set close near the end after trailing 24-15. They strung together seven consecutive winners during a run, that cut the deficit to 24-22 courtesy of three Makenzie Ailes kills and a couple of Nicole Simons service aces but it wasn't enough as MUH took the opener 25-23.
The Eagles took an early 5-1 lead in the second, but with the set tied 10-10 the Harriers gained control and built an 19-15 advantage. The cushion wasn't big enough as the navy and gold fought back to a 22-19 lead with five kills---three by Alivia Spaulding and two by Lizzy Keller---to go along with a pair of aces by Addison Gordon. Keller ended the set and tied the match at 1-1 with a service ace for a 25-21 win.
In the third set, the Eagles managed to breakout from an 11-11 tie to take a short-lived 19-13 lead. The pendulum swung back in MUH's favor as they tallied six straight times to lock the set up at 19-19. A Taliyah Johnson kill broke the spell and gave KSU Tusc the lead back at 20-19 and Keller served up three aces to give the hosts a 23-19 lead. They went on to win the set 25-21 for a 2-1 match lead.
There were 11 ties and 10 lead changes in what became the final set of the afternoon with the Eagles taking the lead for good in the fourth set while tied at 16-16. Building upon two separate three-point leads (19-16 & 20-17), the Golden Eagles finished out the set not allowing the Harriers and closer than 23-20 while winning the match 3-1.
The victory moves the Golden Eagles record to 13-2 on the season as they have a layoff before hosting Word of Life Bible Institute on Thursday, October 19th at 6 p.m. It's their final home match of the season.
Alivia Spaulding makes a kill through the block at the net versus the Harriers.
Addison and Cayla receive a serve in the back row.
(Photos by Lindsey Nicholson)