WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL LETS 2-0 LEAD SLIP AWAY AGAINST SOUTHWESTERN

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Playing as well as they could for the opening two sets, Avila women's volleyball lost in five sets on Wednesday to Southwestern, 3-2.

Coming out of the gates and picking up two early sets seemed to pave the way for the Eagles.

In the opener, Avila won a tight set 25-23. Neither team led by more than three in the first frame with the set punctuated by an Emerson Sweet kill and a Moundbuilders attack error, giving the Eagles the two-point win in the first.

The second set was a comeback of sorts for Avila with Southwestern holding an early 5-1 lead.

After the Moundbuilders picked up five of the first six points, Avila went on a brief 4-0 run before Southwestern extended its lead to five, forcing an Avila timeout.

Coming out of the break, the Eagles were on a mission, going on a 9-4 run to take their first lead of the set at 17-16.

From there, Avila build a 22-19 lead, but Southwestern would not go away quietly. The Moundbuilders picked up three more points before Avila ultimately took the set, 25-22.

The game got away from the Eagles in the final three sets.

After winning the first point in the third set, Southwestern took the lead back and ran away with the set, stretching its lead to five midway through the frame before taking the third 25-18.

The fourth set was more of the same for Southwestern, building an early lead before an Avila run gave the Eagles a short-lived 15-14 lead.

From there, Southwestern took 11 of the next 15 points to force a fifth set with a 25-19 lead.

Southwestern took momentum from the third and fourth into the fifth set and began the set on a 6-0 run. Avila would come storming back and bring the match to a tight 12-11 score nearing the end mark, but the Moundbuilders ended on a 3-0 run to take the five-set victory. 

The Eagles will look to end their six-game losing streak when they travel to Bethel on Saturday for a 3:00 match.

 (photo credit: Keagan Kight)