Volleyball Drops Match to Columbia

COLUMBIA, S.C.- The volleyball team finished their trip to Columbia, S.C., on Saturday with a match against the Columbia College Koalas on Saturday. The team fell in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) match 3-0.

In the first set, TWU came out strong, quickly taking a 2-0 lead thanks to errors from Columbia. The Bulldogs kept pace with Columbia early, with key kills by Amya Sutton, Shante Smith, and Jia Weathersby. TWU managed to tie the score 9-9 after a kill from Sutton, and they briefly led 10-9 after forcing errors from Columbia. However, Columbia pulled ahead later in the set, and despite a kill from Hibdon, Columbia sealed the first set at 25-19.

The second set was tightly contested, with TWU trading points with Columbia. A service ace by Janie Merritt and a kill from Olivia Miller gave TWU a 5-4 lead. Strong offensive contributions from Sutton, Smith, and Weathersby helped TWU stay competitive, and they even led 15-13 after a block by Weathersby. However, Columbia responded to TWU's momentum, taking control late and winning the set 25-20.

In the third set, TWU again showed their fighting spirit. The Bulldogs raced out to a 4-1 lead with kills from Merritt, Smith, and a block by Smith. Despite their efforts, Columbia mounted a comeback. TWU stayed within striking distance thanks to kills from Morae Owens and Weathersby, but Columbia ultimately closed the match with a 25-15 win.