LIVINGSTON, Ala. - The University of West Alabama volleyball team continued their challenging start to the 2024 season, suffering two defeats on Friday at the David J. Prior Convocation Center.

The Tigers fell in straight sets to Lees-McRae before dropping a four-set match to Bluefield State. UWA now looks ahead to their next tournament, the Kentucky Wesleyan Tournament, with four matches scheduled over two days.

Match 1: West Alabama vs. Lees-McRae
In the opening match of the day, the Tigers struggled to find rhythm offensively, falling 3-0 to Lees-McRae (25-15, 25-14, 25-14). UWA posted a negative hitting percentage for the match (-.031) while Lees-McRae attacked efficiently, hitting .211.

Jaida Alvin led West Alabama with seven kills, and Maggie Roddam anchored the defense with 12 digs. Despite a strong service effort from Alvin, who added two aces, Lees-McRae controlled the match from start to finish with 30 kills and 10 aces.

Match 2: West Alabama vs. Bluefield State
West Alabama showed resilience in their second match, winning the opening set 25-20 before Bluefield State rallied to win the next three sets (25-12, 25-17, 25-15) and secure the 3-1 victory. Alvin led the Tigers with 10 kills and 17 digs, and Peyton Quesnel added seven kills.

After a solid first set, UWA struggled offensively, particularly in the second set, where they hit .000. Bluefield State capitalized on UWA's errors and posted a .232 hitting percentage, led by Callesta Styles' 12 kills and Jannice Lynch's 11 kills.

Next matches: Kentucky Wesleyan Tournament
The Tigers (0-4) will travel to Owensboro, Kentucky, for the Kentucky Wesleyan Tournament on Friday, September 13th, and Saturday, September 14th. On Friday, UWA will compete against Thomas More and Minnesota State. On Saturday, Illinois Springfield and Lake Superior will follow. The team will aim to pick up their first victory of the season against strong competition.