TOUGALOO, Miss. – Mid-season fatigue is beginning to settle into the Owls volleyball team. The W did well statistically during the University of Dallas Volleyball Tournament but struggled during a Tuesday match against Tougaloo College. The Owls were unable to get their game going and fell 0-3 (2-25, 9-25, 13-25) to the Bulldogs on Tuesday, Sept. 18.
The Owls confidence was shaken in the first set after a pair of kills by Tougaloo and a couple of ball handling errors put them behind 0-4. Tougaloo's offense did not let up and ten additional kills and a handful of other Owls errors completely stalled The W's game and they found themselves buried in the first set, down 0-18. The Owls recorded their only points of the set on two Tougaloo errors to close set one 2-25.
The Owls did not stop their fight and saw an improvement in the second set. Landing the Owls first kills of the match, Mary Grace Prine and Sadie Mitchell scored back to back points to slow the bleeding at a score of 2-12. Cicely Goldhorn smacked down two kills for The W and was credited with a service ace to give the Owls an additional three points. A Tougaloo error gave the owls another point and the Owls closed the set behind the Bulldogs 9-25.
In the third set, The W was able to exceed earlier attempts against Tougaloo to score the first point of the set. Hannah O'Barr landed a kill from Prine for the Owls point. Then, a few Owls errors put Tougaloo on the scoreboard and in the lead with a score of 1-7. Goldhorn grabbed a kill and Courtney Poole delivered three service aces to score additional points for the Owls but it was not enough. The W closed the set and the match under Tougaloo 13-25.
With 21 total attacks and four kills, Cicely Goldhorn led the Owls offense. Courtney Poole delivered three services aces with seven digs and one assist to aid in the effort.
On the defensive side of the ball, Savannah Thomas recorded 12 digs to lead her team.
On Tuesday, Sept. 25, the Owls will return to the competitive court when they travel to Marion, Ala. to face USCAA sister institution Judson College. The first serve for that match is set for 6 p.m.
