KENNESAW, Ga. (October 13, 2023) – Despite winning a thrilling second set to shift momentum, the University of North Alabama volleyball team was defeated on the road by Kennesaw State in four sets in an ASUN Conference matchup on Friday in Kennesaw, Ga.
The Lions' record moves to 10-9 overall, including a 2-5 record in ASUN matches. Kennesaw State moves to 10-8 overall and 3-4 in league play.
Brenna Tietz led the Lions in kills with nine, while Lexi Pendleton paced in assists with 17. Anna Katherine Griggs contributed a team-high six blocks, and Luana Bulara registered team-highs in aces and digs with 2 and 21, respectively. Tietz set a career high in blocks on the night with five.
Both teams were competitive early, taking a set each to open play before the Owls would win the final two sets. The second set was perhaps the most thrilling, as UNA won 27-25 to even the match before KSU took the final two for the home victory.
North Alabama jumped out to an early 2-1 lead in set one before the Owls answered with a 7-2 run to go up 8-4. A kill from graduate middle blocker Maggie Sullivan sparked two-straight points from the Lions as North Alabama sought to close the gap. UNA went down by as many as three before tying the score at 16-16, but the Owls scored three straight times to go back up three. Exchanging points, a kill from graduate middle blocker Anna Katherine Griggs cut the deficit to one at 21-20. KSU would end up going on a 4-1 run to end the set, 25-21.
The Lions set the tone in the beginning of set two, going on a 5-2 run to take an early lead. Kennesaw State would work their way back into the game with a 7-4 run to answer UNA's run and tie the match at 9-9. Both teams would exchange the next two points, but the Lions started to break away with two-straight points of their own. At the 13-11 mark, North Alabama went on a 5-2 run to develop a 18-13 lead thanks to four Owl errors and an ace from graduate libero Luana Bulara. However, Kennesaw State would fight back, out-scoring North Alabama 11-5 to force set point. A service error from KSU sent the set into extras, to which UNA scored three of the next four to win set two, 27-25.
Set three started with both teams exchanging their first two points before a 4-1 run gave the Owls a 6-3 lead. UNA responded with four points to the Owls' three to come with two points with junior outside hitter Katy Floyd contributing three kills. At 9-7, KSU went on their second run of the set to extend the lead to nine. Despite three kills from freshman outside/right side hitter Nicole Sargent, Kennesaw State closed the set out with an 8-4 run to win, 25-15.
UNA's Tietz and freshman outside hitter Avery Markham got things started for the Lions in the fourth, with both scoring kills to start with a 4-1 in set four. KSU responded with six-straight points to take back the lead at 7-4 and followed it up with a 9-5 run to put the score at 16-9. Four-straight points from North Alabama, including Maggie Sullivan's kill and block assist with Brenna Tietz, cut the deficit to 16-13, but the Owls created another cushion. A late 6-3 run from UNA was sparked by another service ace from Bulara and a kill from Sargent to bring the score to 24-20. It would not be enough as KSU scored the next point to win 25-20 and take the match, 3-1.
North Alabama closes out their road trip with an ASUN match against Queens on Sunday, Oct. 15, at noon.
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