COLUMBUS, Miss. – For the second time in four matches, The W volleyball went five sets with an opponent and came up on the short end. In its home opener on Tuesday evening, the Owls (0-4) went the distance with NAIA foe Freed-Hardeman University, losing by set scores of 17-25, 25-23, 25-21, 21-25, 15-7.
 
MUW led wire-to-wire in winning the first set, hitting .286 on its attacks and keeping the Lady Lions to a negative .107 on attacks. But FHU would bounce back to win the next two set, despite more solid attacking by the Owls.
 
With its back to the wall, The W took the fourth set with a .273 kills percentage (making just three errors in 33 tries). But the Lady Lions would jump out to a 4-1 lead in the fifth set, never trailing in the decider.
 
Former New Hope High School product Megan Neeb led either team with 15 kills. Neeb led the squad in attacks with 38, making just four errors on her way to a creditable .289 attack average for the night.
 
Fellow New Hope alumnae Madyson McBrayer chipped in 13 kills and a match-leading three service aces.
 
Newcomer Sydney Barrett had the highest attack average – a .429 – for the Owls, which hit an impressive .231 as a team versus FHU. Barrett's all-around solid performance included 12 kills and four solo blocks.
 
Setter Kinsley Kennedy had 40 assists, her second match with 40-plus "helps" this season. Kennedy also had 13 digs on the defensive side.
 
Libero Brooklyn Comfort amassed 15 digs to top either team. Comfort was just that for the Owls on receptions, going errorless in 24 receiving chances.
 
The W will have a week off until its hosts regional rival Belhaven University on Tuesday, September 9 (6 p.m.).