RELATED LINKS: Thursday's Recap
ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - The University of West Alabama volleyball team stumbled on the second day of the Bettye Wallace Invitational from the campus of Henderson State University on Friday. UWA was defeated in straight sets to Southeastern Oklahoma University and five sets to Keiser University.
Match 1: Southeastern Oklahoma 3, West Alabama 0
The two teams got out with a see-saw battle, with each teams trading the first 12 points, but UWA won the next two after kills by
Mya Carter and
Amelia Johnigan to take the 8-6 lead. However, the Savage Storm won the next five points and 11 of the next 13 to lead 18-10.
UWA made it a 20-16 deficit, but SEOU took the last five points to win 25-16.
In the second set, it was an all-out blitz by the Savage Storm with a 15-4 lead to start and won 25-14.
The Tigers returned the favor in the third by picking up the first five points. After back-to-back kills by Johnigan and
Jaida Alvin, Cloe Bonvillian pinned two straight aces from the serve. Following the bad set by the Savage Storm, they would take the side-out on the next point to get on the board.
Trailing 6-1, SEOU went on a 12-2 run to reclaim the lead and eventually got out to a 17-12 lead at one point. However, UWA would rally back to secure 10 of the next 13 points to reclaim the lead, 22-20.
The Savage Storm responded on the next three points, all via kills to reclaim the lead 23-22, but the Tigers would force "lingering death" after an
Ally Craig kill to tie the set at 24 points apiece.
West Alabama tied the contest on two separate occasions, but a service error and a service ace gave Southeastern Oklahoma the victory, 29-27.
Ally Craig and
Jaida Alvin each posted six kills for UWA.
Quiara Dunson had 13 digs.
Southeastern Oklahoma was led by D'Nari Mills who had 13 kills and 11 digs.
Match 2: Keiser 3, West Alabama 2
After Keiser took the opening set, 25-10, West Alabama picked up the set victories in the next two, winning 25-20 and 25-23 to take the 2-1 lead.
Leading 9-6 in the second stanza, the Tigers went on a 9-2 lead to push the lead to 18-8. Keiser would make it interesting, but an
Ally Craig kill gave UWA the 25-20 victory.
In the third, UWA took advantage of nine attack errors by Keiser to defeat the Seahawks, 25-23.
The fourth set looked similar to the third, a back-and-forth battle. However, Keiser got in a rally in the worst time for West Alabama. Tied at 19, the Seahawks won the final six points, including back-to-back aces for the last two points, to force the deciding fifth set.
That momentum rolled into the final set for the Seahawks, as they marched out to an 11-2 lead en route to a 15-7 score.
Ally Craig led the Tigers with 14 total points on 12 kills and two solo blocks, while
Johanna Martin had a season-high 10 kills and three solo blocks.
Jaida Alvin recorded the double-double with 12 digs and 10 kills.
Quiara Dunson led the Tigers with 21 digs, and
Cloe Bonvillain lsed the team with four service aces.
Brooklyn Slater led all players with 18 kills and 15 digs and added six aces.
At the conclusion of the tournament on Saturday, UWA's
Quiara Dunson and
Ally Craig were recognized to the All-Tournament Team.
West Alabama (1-8) wraps up the season-opening 10-match road swing with a trip to Lane College (Tenn.) on Thursday, Sept. 14.
(Release updated on Sept. 12 to reflect the All-Tournament Team)
