ANCHORAGE, AK - The Lenoir-Rhyne volleyball team split day two at the Seawolf Invitational, taking down Chico State 3-2 before falling 3-1 in the nightcap to host Alaska Anchorage.
Down 2-1 in the match and 22-19 in the fourth set against Chico State, Lenoir-Rhyne scored six of the final seven points to extend the match to a fifth set. The Bears dominated the back half of that fifth set to take the match 3-2. Facing a strong Alaska Anchorage team in the final game of the day, the hosts won the first, second, and fourth sets to give the Bears their first loss on the young season.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final Game 1: Lenoir-Rhyne 3, Chico State 2 (21-25, 25-22, 24-26, 25-23, 15-11)
Final Game 2: Alaska Anchorage 3, Lenoir-Rhyne 1 (23-25, 17-25, 25-21, 20-25)
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (2-1), Chico State (0-2), Alaska Anchorage (4-2)
Location: Anchorage, Alaska | Alaska Airlines Center
STORY OF MATCH 1
- Chico State led throughout the entirety of the first set, winning 25-21.
- LR went up 7-3 in set two before the Wildcats went on a 7-0 run to re-take the lead.
- The Bears went on a late push and a Morgan Blankenship kill sealed the set victory.
- Tied at 24-24 in the third, Chico State picked up two consecutive kills to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
- Down 21-16, Lenoir-Rhyne went on a 6-1 run to tie the game at 22-22.
- The Bears got two kills from Averie Dale and another from Emmaleigh Allen to stay alive.
- Lenoir-Rhyne dominated the back half of the fifth set and won the match off a Wildcat service error.
STORY OF MATCH 1
- Leading 24-20, UAA fended off a mini run from the Bears to take the opening set 25-23.
- Anchorage left no doubt in set two, winning 25-17.
- The Bears got one back in the third, sealing a 25-21 set win with a Morgan Blankenship kill.
- Lenoir-Rhyne led 19-18 in set four, but the Seawolves rallied and seven of the next eight points to take the match.
UP NEXT: The Bears will face No. 16 Alaska Fairbanks tonight at 5:00pm ET. The Nanooks are 5-1 on the year and defeated both Chico State (3-0) and Texas Woman's University (3-2) earlier in this tournament.
