JACKSON, Tenn. (October 9, 2026) – The LeMoyne Owen College women's volleyball team displayed tremendous resilience and determination Friday evening, overcoming a two-set deficit to force a decisive fifth set before narrowly falling to Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) rival Lane College, 3-2, inside J.F. Lane Gymnasium.
Coming off their first road victory of the season against Oakwood University earlier in the week, the Lady Magicians carried that momentum into Friday's rivalry showdown, pushing the Dragons to the brink in one of their most competitive conference performances of the season.
Lane claimed the opening two sets, 26-24 and 25-21, putting LeMoyne Owen in an early hole. However, the Lady Magicians refused to back down, responding with an impressive 25-17 victory in the third set before capturing the fourth, 25-19, to even the match at two sets apiece.
With the rivalry match-up hanging in the balance, both teams battled through a tightly contested fifth set. Despite a determined effort from the Lady Magicians, Lane escaped with a 16-14 victory to secure the match.
Junior Kennedy White delivered an outstanding offensive performance for LeMoyne Owen, leading the team with a match-high 22 kills while contributing nine digs and two service aces. White's offensive production played a significant role in the Lady Magicians' comeback effort.
Ileana Austin also delivered a standout performance for the Lady Magicians, making her presence felt on both sides of the ball. Austin finished with 14 digs and a match-high five service aces, providing a much-needed spark throughout the contest. Her timely aces helped shift momentum in LeMoyne-Owen's favor during its comeback effort, putting additional pressure on the Dragons and helping the Lady Magicians fight their way back into the match.
Setter Madelyn Ross continued to orchestrate the LeMoyne Owen offense, recording an impressive double-double with 40 assists and 13 digs while adding two blocks. Ross helped the Lady Magicians maintain their offensive rhythm throughout the five-set contest.
Defensively, Makayla Smith anchored the back row with a match-high 27 digs, providing critical defensive stops and helping extend rallies against the Dragons.
Jordan Williams also contributed offensively with 11 kills, while Ileana Austin made her presence felt with five service aces and 14 digs.
As a team, LeMoyne Owen held statistical advantages over Lane in several major categories, finishing with 58 kills compared to the Dragons' 49. The Lady Magicians also recorded 53 assists, 78 digs and nine service aces, demonstrating their ability to compete on both sides of the net.
Although the final result did not favor LeMoyne Owen, the team's ability to rally from a two-set deficit against its conference rival highlighted its continued growth, competitive spirit and determination as the regular season progresses.
Up Next: Miles Cluster
The Lady Magicians will look to build on Friday's competitive performance when they travel to Fairfield, Alabama, for the Miles Cluster, scheduled for October 16–17 at Knox-Windham Gymnasium.
LeMoyne Owen will compete in three SIAC match-ups over the two-day event, beginning Friday afternoon against Spring Hill College.
Friday, October 16: vs. Spring Hill College – 1:30 PM
Saturday, October 17: vs. Tuskegee University – 11:30 AM
Saturday, October 17: vs. Miles College – 2:00 PM
All times are Central.
The Lady Magicians will aim to translate the energy and determination displayed against Lane into positive results as they continue conference play and prepare for the final stretch of the regular season.
