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Fort Lewis College Athletics

Scoreboard

Longacre, Shirley, Stansberry, Valdez
John Vestal, Sports Fanatic Photography
2
Fort Lewis FLC 0-1
3
Winner Westminster WCVB 2-3
Fort Lewis FLC
0-1
2
Final
3
Westminster WCVB
2-3
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Fort Lewis FLC 25 13 29 18 11 (2)
Westminster WCVB 20 25 27 25 15 (3)
1
Fort Lewis FLC 0-2
3
Winner Truman State TSU 5-1
Fort Lewis FLC
0-2
1
Final
3
Truman State TSU
5-1
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Fort Lewis FLC 21 25 18 21 (1)
Truman State TSU 25 21 25 25 (3)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | | Brian Kortz

Volleyball Plays Pair of Close Matches at Westminster Classic

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Fort Lewis College volleyball team nearly claimed a win in the opener of the season, as they went right down to the wire against host Westminster before coming up just short, 3-2. In the nightcap, it was even at a set apiece against Truman State, before the Bulldogs were able to snag the next two sets for a 3-1 win as the Skyhawks played their first two matches of the season in the Westminster Classic Friday.

In the opener, FLC won sets one and three and then went down to the wire in the fifth set against the Griffins. Westminster looked to be in good shape in the opening set as they jumped out to an 11-6 lead. Down 17-10 later on in the set, the Skyhawks didn't go away. A Maddie LeBlanc kill at 15-18 helped spark a 6-0 run to push FLC to a 20-18 advantage. During the spurt, Bailey Longacre and Ohiyah Shirley all had points. Holding a 22-20 lead, FLC ripped off the final three points to claim the set as WC had an attack error and then two service aces from Shirley helped the Skyhawks claim the 25-20 set win.

The second set was back-and-forth, with the Griffins holding a tight 13-11 lead following a kill by Shirley. After that, Westminster went on a 10-0 run to put the set out of reach. After a Longacre kill, Westminster went on to win the set, 25-13.

It was a strong start to the third set for the Griffins as they moved in front 6-1. Still trailing 10-8, FLC went on a 4-0 run to take a 12-10 advantage. Haley Christiansen tallied a kill and then Longacre capped the run with a kill. In a see-saw set, Westminster pulled back in front and looked like they were going to claim the set ahead 24-22. FLC then tallied two straight points to prolong the set with a Christiansen kill and an attack error by the Griffins to draw even at 24. After the Griffins went to set point again at 27-26, the Skyhawks used a 3-0 run to take the set. Bella Valdez and then a service ace from Shirley and kill by Shirley gave FLC the 29-27 set win and 2-1 match lead.

Shirley and Christiansen had FLC out to a 7-4 lead in the fourth. With Westminster ahead 13-11, they used a 5-0 run for an 18-11 lead. Points from Christiansen and LeBlanc helped bring FLC back to within five before the Griffins grabbed the final two points for a 25-18 set win to force the match to a decisive fifth set.

In the final set, FLC erased an early deficit to knot things up at six. Westminster then went on a 4-0 run to move out to a 10-6 lead. Christiansen then put together three straight kills around a few points by Westminster to pull back to within three at 12-9. Tye Wedhorn tallied a kill and then a solo block by Cailyn Cook pushed FLC to within two at 13-11 before Westminster claimed the final two points for the 15-11 set win and 3-2 match victory.

Shirley led three Skyhawks with double-digits in kills posting 19. Christiansen added 14 and Longacre with 10. LeBlanc had eight kills and hit .412. Valdez added 34 assists, while on defense, Shirley had 1.5 blocks and Christiansen led four in double-figures in digs with 22. Shirley added 18.

Audrey Green had a match-high 25 kills to lead Westminster. Aggie Roese-Olsen had 36 assists, Sydnee Simmons sent back three blocks and Hannah Stearman had 27 digs.

FLC showed a strong fight in the second match of the day going against Truman State, who entered with a 4-1 record and were receiving votes in the national AVCA poll. After dropping the first set, FLC claimed the second and then nearly pulled out the fourth frame.

In the opening set, FLC erased an early 7-3 deficit with Christiansen and Shirley claiming points to take an 8-7 lead. A 4-0 run helped break open an 8-all tie when Shirley and Jacalyn Sharko sent back a block and Cook added a kill for a 12-8 advantage. Shirley later added a kill and then a double-block from Longacre and LeBlanc moved FLC to a 15-10 lead. A kill by Longacre moved the lead to 16-12 before Truman State caught fire going on a 5-0 run for a 17-16 lead. The Skyhawks took one last lead at 21-20 with Christiansen and Longacre setting down kills before the Bulldogs claimed the final five points for a 25-21 set win.

Hannah Martinez tallied a kill around a few errors from Truman State helped give FLC a 6-4 lead in the second set. A 5-0 spurt in the middle of the set jumped the Bulldogs to a 17-10 lead. Christiansen helped power FLC back into the set with a kill, service ace and then kept serving as Longacre and Martinez added kills around an error by the Bulldogs evened the set at 17. LeBlanc and Valdez combined for a double-block to help string together a 4-0 run and move the Skyhawks to set point.
Christiansen and LeBlanc added another double-lock and then a LeBlanc kill made it 24-20. After a point by Truman State, they committed an attack error to push FLC to a 25-21 second set win to even the match at one.

The third set was close throughout with a service error and a double-block by Valdez and LeBlanc had FLC to within two at 18-16. After keeping the deficit at 20-17, Truman State went on a 5-1 run to take the set at 25-18 to move out to a 2-1 match lead.

Christiansen helped tie things early in the fourth set with a kill at five-all. After that, Truman State used a 6-0 run to jump out to an 11-5 advantage. A LeBlanc kill around an error by the Bulldogs kept the separation at five at 14-9. FLC kept charging back, using a late 3-0 run to get back to within three at 24-21 as Christiansen tallied a pair of kills around a bad set by Truman State.
The Bulldogs survived the run, as they were able to get a kill on the next point for a 25-21 fourth set win and 3-1 match victory.

Christiansen led FLC with 13 kills, followed by 11 from Longacre. Valdez dished out 26 assists, while on defense, LeBlanc had two blocks and Megan Graefe had 16 digs.

Ellie Kaat and Natalie Brimeyer led Truman State with 12 kills apiece. Savvy Hughes had 45 assists, while on defense, Brimeyer and Holly Hildebrand had two blocks apiece and Lauren Wacker had 14 digs.

FLC will close out the Westminster Classic on Saturday when they will play Lubbock Christian at 9:30 a.m. and then Minnesota State at 2:30 p.m.
 
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