Box Score VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Making its first-ever appearance in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) volleyball championships, the No. 4-seeded Mississippi University for Women had No. 1-seed University of Maine-Fort Kent on the ropes. Unfortunately, the Owls could not deliver the knockout punch, instead suffering a 3-1 loss to the Bengals (20-6).
 
The W lost by set scores of 19-25, 25-21, 29-31, 25-27 versus UMFK. The setback dropped MUW into the loser bracket, where it will face No. 3-seed Carlow University on Friday at 12:30 p.m. CT in a must-win game of the double-elimination tournament. Carlow lost, 3-1, to No. 2-seed Bluefield State.
 
In set one, the Owls held a 16-15 lead on the Bengals. However, UMFK would reel off seven unanswered point to take the lead for good, 22-16. In the second set, MUW had its largest lead at 20-16, only to have the Bengals knot matters at 21-21.
 
At that point, The W head coach Halee Hensley spent a timeout to rally her troops. The strategy worked as MUW got the sideout to grab the lead, before Hannah Duran served three-straight winning points for the Owls and even the contest at 1-1.
 
The third set proved to be pivotal and the proverbial "one that got away" for the Owls. MUW burst out to a 15-8 advantage and still looked in control at 22-18. However, five straight points gave the top-ranked Bengals a one-point lead, 23-22. The two clubs went back-and-forth in epic fashion, before UMFK eventually prevailed, 31-29.
 
With its back to the wall, The W found itself behind in the fourth set, 16-10, when Hensley took another well-placed timeout. With the Owls still down, 18-13, and Duran serving, MUW won the next four points to climb within one (18-17) and it was UMFK taking the T.O.
 
The teams see-sawed down the stretch. A kill by Llayne Skinner got the Owls to set point, 25-24. But a side out tied the game and an ace put the Bengals at match point. A controversial in-the-net call against MUW gave the set, and match, to UMFK.
 
Maggie Griggs topped the Owls with nine kills. She also had seven digs and a pair of aces. Micaela Hudgins added eight kills and had a team-best .160 attack average, to go along with a match-best six blocks (three solo; three assisted).
 
Skinner and Jasmine Kelly each booked six kills. Skinner added 10 digs and Kelly had three blocks.
 
Junior libero Maddy Suggs had a match-leading 28 digs, while teammate Sydney Horel chipped in 14. Camryn Johnson registered 11 digs and 13 assists. Duran finished the night with a double-double of 17 assists and 10 digs.
 
"The girls played their hearts out," Hensley reflected. "That was probably the best game we've played this season."