Volleyball executes well despite loss to Martin Methodist

  The Lady Lions took a long road trip Nov. 8,  to complete their regular season schedule against Transouth regular season champions Martin Methodist College in non-conference competition.

The Red Hawks swept Bryan in three, 30-22, 30-14, 30-26, but the tale between the numbers was very encouraging for the Lions as they prepare for their first-round AAC tournament match against conference champs Brevard.

In their first meeting, the Lions struggled just to reach 15 in a humbling loss at home to the Red Hawks.  The Red Hawk team was more athletic and skilled, and dominated the match from the first point.  In the second meeting, the Lions went in with no pretenses, and stayed focused on specific goals to prepare for this Friday.

"We were determined to play as a team, and were concentrating on strategies we hope to employ against Brevard.  It was a pleasant surprise to see they worked well here tonight,"  commented Coach Sayles.  The Lions kept pace with MMC in game one, despite a rough start offensively.  The blocking and digging kept the Lions close, but MMC finished with two solid runs to put the game away. 

Tough serving by the Red Hawks in game two kept the Lions off-balance, and they were not able to settle back on their game plan, falling 30-14.  However, the Lions kept their poise and returned in game three ready to answer.  A tough spot in the rotation caused them to fall behind 11-3, but the Lions began to rally, and closed to within three points at 18-15, then kept pace with the Red Hawks.  Strategic serving seemed to be the key for both teams, but the Lions defense was a major factor throughout the match.

"The girls really played well against a superior team," Coach Sayles said. "MMC is the best team we have seen all season.  I was very pleased with our efforts and our ability to refocus on our own goals instead of getting lost in the heat of the match."

Abby Humphrey gave a strong all-around performance, notching 13 kills and 11 digs, while contributing a solid 29 for 31 serve receptions to start up the Bryan offense.  Kim Barlow and Robin Renfroe contributed 7 and 8 kills respectively, and were the primary forces behind the Bryan block up front.  Christine Pratt added 14 kills, giving her 546 for the season.  The freshmen trio of Renfroe, Rachel Meek, and Kaylin Carswell gave a very strong performance and did not buckle under the strong attacks from the Red Hawks.

Bryan, seeded 8th in the conference tournament, will challenge host Brevard Friday, Nov. 11 at 9 a.m. in their first-round AAC tournament match.