Lady Lions outlast winless Tennessee Temple

October 19, 2004

After an excellent start on Oct. 19, the Lady Lions struggled to execute in the their match with Tennessee Temple.

The Lions started on fire with a solid 30-13 game 1 win, then could not maintain their momentum, losing the next two games 27-30 and 25-30. Temple dug well, and mounting errors haunted the Lions before they began to settle down in game 4. A short run broke a close game open, and the Lions pulled ahead 30-24. The Lions trailed 7-9 and 9-10 before another quick burst allowed them to close the match with a 15-11 win.

Kim Barlow carried the Lions with a stellar game up front. Barlow had 24 kills on .300 hitting percentage. Captain Randi Mellon finished the match with 55 assists, and 9 digs. Rebecca Rusch recorded another double-double, finishing with 12 kills and 18 digs. Libero Christine Pratt also finished with 18 digs.

"I am not really sure what to say after tonight's match," said Coach Sayles. "We again played extremely well in the first game, but did not stay focused. Our own errors allowed Temple to stay in the match, and they came back to life. Once we finally settled down in Game 4, it was a battle, because Temple was not letting anything hit the ground. Somehow our girls found it within themselves to fight, and Barlow literally carried us. She was connecting on all cylinders, and Mellon did a great job getting her the ball."