OWENSBORO, Ky. - The University of West Alabama Volleyball team dropped both of their matches on Day One of the Kentucky Wesleyan Invitational.

West Alabama (0-6) competed and found themselves points away from winning sets throughout their two matches on Day One, but the offensive struggles were the Tigers' achilles heel, leading to them being on the wrong end of a pair of sweeps at the hands of Thomas More and Minnesota State. 

MATCH ONE: Thomas More 3, West Alabama 0

In the first set, a kill from Gracie Pierscinski and two attack errors from the Saints gave the Tigers a quick 3-0 lead. Thomas More got back to work offensively, putting down five kills over the next 14 rallies to take a 10-7 lead. The Saints weren't done and began to separate themselves from UWA as they put West Alabama in a 20-12 deficit late in the set. An eight point deficit with just five points to spare was too steep of a hill to climb for the Tigers as they dropped the game, 25-16.

It was a competitive start to Set Two as we found the score knotted at 10 to begin after kills from Cloe Bonvillain, Gracie Huver, and Pierscinski. Moments later, Thomas More used a 3-0 run to take a three-point lead. The Saints kept the Tigers at bay for the next handful of rallies until another kill from Huver sparked a 5-2 West Alabama run to bring UWA within one. The two teams continued to battle down the stretch before Thomas More edged out a, 26-24, set win.

The Saints blitzed the Tigers in the third set, taking full control of the game with the score sitting at 17-9 late. Down eight, West Alabama desperately needed a spark and got one from Huver and Jaida Alvin as the two carried a massive 12-4 to tie the set up at 21. After UWA's run, Thomas More found their composure and scored four of the next five points to take the set, 25-22, and the match.

MATCH TWO: Minnesota State 3, West Alabama 0

West Alabama couldn't find their offensive rhythm in Set One, recording 12 total errors which ultimately led to a lopsided game. While the Tigers hit -.083, Minnesota State put down 10 kills in a .368 hitting percentage, propelling the Mavericks to a, 25-13, set win.

The offensive woes from the first set, followed the Tigers to the second as they only mustered up five kills on a -.107 hitting percentage. Peyton Quesnel came off the bench and registered two of those kills for UWA but the combination of offensive struggles and Minnesota State hitting their stride was too much for West Alabama to overcome as they fell, 25-13, in the second set.

The Tigers saw improvement on the defensive side of the net in the third set, holding Minnesota to a .208 hitting percentage. While the defense improved, the offense never came around as West Alabama hit -.182 in the third set which was their lowest of the match, leading the Mavericks to a 25-18 set win.

West Alabama will be back in action tomorrow for Day Two of the Kentucky Wesleyan Invitational with matchups against Illinois Springfield and Lake Superior set for 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.