MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Owls volleyball team takes one and drops one at the Huntingdon College Tri-Match on Saturday, Sept. 21. The W moves to 4-11 on the season after the weekend matchups.

Game One (W, 3-2)

Going the distance of five sets for the third time this season, the Owls picked up their fourth win of the 2019 season, topping Pensacola Christian College by a score of 22-25, 26-225, 25-13, 16-25, and 15-11 on Saturday evening as a part of a tri-match showing on the campus of Huntingdon College.

The W posted a season-high of 50 kills, 64 digs, and 10 blocks in the victory. Offensively, the Owls were led by junior Tori Weir who put up 28 total attacks for 13 kills while tallying two solo blocks and two block assists.

Senior outside hitter Haley McMurphey was just one kill shy of a double-double. The Caledonia, Miss. native posted nine kills on 30 total attacks with 12 digs.

Taking command of the setting duties, Madison Lamon led the team with a season-high 21 assist. She also grabbed five digs and three service aces.

Leading the Owls defense, Sadie Mitchell wore a different color jersey tonight. As the libero, Mitchell recorded 14 digs and four assists.

The W started strong in the first set, breaking out to a 13-7 lead on a kill by Weir. Pensacola tied the Owls 18-18 and the set stayed within two points until the Eagles went on a 5-2 scoring run to close the first set 25-22.

The Owls gained control early in set two, scoring the first four points including two service aces from Lamon and a kill by Weir. Pensacola chipped away at the Owls lead and was able to tie the set at 9 after a pair of kills. The two teams exchanged scoring and the set saw another tie at the 24^th point. The W pulled ahead and took the set on a service ace by Mary Grace Prine and a setting error by the Eagles.

Kills were frequent at the beginning of set three, as the teams combined for five kills as The W held a 5-4 lead. It remained close until a service ace by Sadie Mitchell started a huge run for the Owls to push them ahead. 17-11. The W continued to ride the momentum, allowing Pensacola to score only two more points during the remainder of the set to take the set victory 25-13.

It was a back-and-forth battle in the fourth set as neither team held more than a three-point lead until the Eagles made it 18-14 on an Owls attack error. Pensacola grew the lead to five at 20-15 on a kill. The Eagles allowed The W only one point before closing the set on a five-point run to take it 25-16.

In the fifth, the Owls jumped ahead 5-2 with kills by Shelby Jones, McMurphey, and Weir. Capitalizing on Owls errors, Pensacola was able to tie the match and then take an 8-7 lead. Prine lent a pair of service aces and a kill by Abby Martin put the Owls back in the driver's seat. For the win, The W closed the set on a 4-3 run to take the set 15-11.

Game Two (L, 3-0)

With three service errors and 19 attack errors, the Owls struggled to execute with consistency against Huntingdon as The W dropped a straight-set match in the final match of the Huntingdon tri-match.

Huntingdon started well in the first set, taking early leads of 7-3 and 12-7. The Owls struggled to close the gap and was unable to break 16 to close the set.

The W appeared more focused in the second match, getting back into the game after HC jumped ahead 4-1. Kills by Lacey Evans, McMurphey, and Weir allowed the Owls to tie the game and the two teams remained close for the rest of the set. Tied at 23, Huntingdon was able to claim a second set victory on back-to-back kills.

The third set went similar to the second, as Huntingdon and The W remained within two points of each other for most of the set. With a score of 15-15, the set would tie four times before it ended with Huntingdon taking the match on an attack error and a kill.

Freshman Iyana Canada led the Owls offense with eight kills on 14 total attacks. Prine led the team in assist with 12 and Mitchell led the team in digs with 14.

"Our team goal today was to play "our game" and not le the opponent, officials, or score dictate our play," stated assistant coach Brooke Carter. "I am extremely proud of how our girls were able to stay true to this goal and were able to walk off the court with no energy remaining because they gave it their 100% effort until the very end. I hope we can continue to strive towards this goal as we prepare for our home matches next week."

The Owls will be back in action on Tuesday, Sept. 24 when they host Belhaven University inside of Pohl Gymnasium. The first serve is set for 6 p.m.