The day started out looking bright for the Lady Lions volleyball team on Thursday at the Meadowview resort. The team survived a 5-set scare the night before, then turned around and swept #3 Montreat in three (25-19, 25-18, 25-13) to advance to the championship match. The Lions' balanced offensive attack saw 6 players finish with four or more kills led by Alison Young (8 kills, .227 pct), Lauren Pratt (7 kills, .462 pct), and Amber Smith (7 kills .211 pct) , while setters Amanda Manke and Hannah Suits dished 33 assists together. Jessica Kaya added 16 digs and the Lion middles of Smith and Ashley Sours combined for 8 assisted blocks. The Lions hit .330 as a team in a solid offensive effort.
Everything started well in the championship match against Union, with the offense firing to pace the Lions to a 25-19 first game, but the Bulldogs' tough serves put the Lions on their heels and Union reeled off three runaway set wins for the 3-1 (19-25, 25-17, 25-13, 25-15) victory. "This was a tough way to finish our AAC season," said Bryan's Coach Leo Sayles. "They served us tough and knew our weaknesses. They took our #2 passer completely out of the game, and then everything unraveled when Hannah Suits' knee collapsed and we had to remover her in set three. However, Union was fully in control of the match and it just made a bad situation worse. I feel for my seniors, especially Amber and Amande, who tried desperately to rally the girls." Alison Young paced the Lions with 10 kills but the Union defense held the Lion offense in check. The Lions will not advance to the NAIA national tournament. Smith and Manke both were named to the All-Tournament team. A school-record nine players were honored as scholar-athletes during the tournament, triple the amount of any other AAC team.
With a 26-14 record, the Lions now turn their attention to the NCCAA regional championships, to be held at Covenant College November 20-21. Although the Lions are ranked #6 in the nation in the NCCAA, there are three other teams from their region ranked in the Top Ten, including King College and Campbellsville University. The regional tourney promises to be a tough road for the team, but a solid effort could earn them a second berth in the NCCAA national tournament (their first trip to nationals was in 2007).
