WVB

Women's Volleyball Braden Mottor and Jason Cohan

Lady Eagles Close Out South Region Tipoff with 1-1 Record

BUF Recap:
With a 1-1 start to the tournament, the Lady Eagles took the court at 10 a.m. to take on the No. 3-ranked team in the nation, Baptist University of Florida (BUF). After trading the first two sets 25-21 apiece, the Lady Eagles struggled in the third and fourth, ultimately falling to BUF in four sets.
 
Throughout the opening set, the teams alternated two and three-point runs, with neither side able to gain a significant advantage. BUF eventually built the set's largest lead, 17-12, and held off the Lady Eagles to take the first set, 25-21. On the attack, BUF recorded 13 kills against four errors, while PCC countered with 11 kills and three errors.
 
The second set began the same way, with the teams trading points to an 8-8 tie. BUF then rattled off a quick 5-0 run to grab the lead, but the Lady Eagles answered with back-to-back kills from Boyd and Anderson. After a BUF kill made it 14-10, the Lady Eagles caught fire, riding an 11-0 run that seized the momentum and capitalized on every BUF mistake. BUF tried to rally late, but PCC's 21-14 lead was too much to overcome, and the Lady Eagles closed out the second set, 25-21.
 
The third set followed a similar pattern, with the teams trading points to another tie, 15-15. Back-to-back kills and back-to-back aces from BUF built a 19-15 advantage, and the Lady Eagles couldn't mount a comeback, dropping the set, 25-17.
 
The fourth set was the Lady Eagles' toughest of the match, as they quickly fell behind, 9-1. A kill from Anderson briefly slowed BUF's momentum, but BUF quickly regained it, stretching its lead to 21-8, the largest deficit of the Lady Eagles' season. BUF closed out the fourth set, 25-11, dealing the Lady Eagles their third loss of the season. 
 
BJU Recap:
Pensacola Christian College survived a four-set battle with rival Bob Jones University, closing out the South Region Tipoff with a hard-fought victory over the Bruins.
 
BJU jumped out early in the first set, and despite 13 kills from the Lady Eagles' offense, 8 hitting errors and 5 service errors proved costly as Pensacola dropped the opener, 23-25. The Lady Eagles responded in the second set, tightening up their attack and locking down the Bruins defensively. Pensacola posted 15 kills against just 5 errors, cruising to a 25-12 win to even the match.
 
PCC carried that momentum into the third set, delivering their most efficient stretch of the night. With 17 kills and only 5 errors, the Lady Eagles took control, 25-12, to move within a set of the win. Pensacola put the finishing touches on the match in the fourth set. The Bruins came out swinging with a strong offensive push of their own, but the Lady Eagles answered every time, riding a balanced attack and steady defense to close out the set 25-19 and secure the match win, 3-1.
 
Sydney Anderson led the way offensively with 20 kills, with Lyssie Metzker adding 17 of her own. Olivia Boyd orchestrated the attack with 49 assists. The win capped a strong showing for Pensacola against a top rival to close out the South Region Tip-Off.
 
What's Next:
Monday, the Lady Eagles head for Louisiana to face Southern University at New Orleans. With a brief history between PCC and SUNO, the teams have not shared the court since October of 2016. With an even 2-2 record, the Lady Eagles look to not only tip the historical scales in their direction, but also ride the momentum of their 2-2 weekend.
 
Stay connected with the team by following @eaglespccwvb on Instagram. For full coverage of all PCC Eagles teams, events, and schedules, follow @eaglespcc on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Players Mentioned

Olivia Boyd

#7 Olivia Boyd

S/RS
5' 7"
Junior
Lyssie Metzker

#14 Lyssie Metzker

OH
5' 3"
Senior
Sydney Anderson

#15 Sydney Anderson

MH
6' 0"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Olivia Boyd

#7 Olivia Boyd

5' 7"
Junior
S/RS
Lyssie Metzker

#14 Lyssie Metzker

5' 3"
Senior
OH
Sydney Anderson

#15 Sydney Anderson

6' 0"
Senior
MH