MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The LeMoyne Owen College women's volleyball team showed flashes of strong play Tuesday evening but ultimately fell to Philander Smith University in four sets inside Bruce-Johnson Hall.
The Lady Magicians dropped the match 3-1, with Philander Smith taking the opening two sets 25-15 and 25-20 before LOC responded with an impressive 25-18 victory in the third. Philander Smith regained control in the fourth set, winning 25-14 to close out the match.
Despite the final result, the overall numbers showed a much more competitive match than the score might suggest. LeMoyne Owen finished with 44 kills compared to 46 for Philander Smith and held a slight 82-81 advantage in digs. The difference came largely from offensive efficiency and play at the net. LOC committed 29 attack errors and finished with a .090 hitting percentage, while Philander Smith hit .166 with 21 errors. Philander Smith also recorded 13 total blocks compared to four for the Lady Magicians and held a 7-2 advantage in service aces.
After struggling to find consistency through the opening two sets, the Lady Magicians put together their best stretch of volleyball in the third. LOC recorded 13 kills with only four attack errors on 39 attempts, producing a match-best .231 hitting percentage. The improved efficiency allowed LeMoyne Owen to control the set and earn a convincing 25-18 victory to extend the match.
Philander Smith responded in the fourth, however, holding LOC to seven kills and a .000 hitting percentage while producing 12 kills at a .269 clip. The visitors used that advantage to pull away and secure the match.
Several Lady Magicians delivered notable individual performances. Rylee Foerster led the LOC attack with 11 kills while committing just three errors on 23 attempts for an impressive .348 hitting percentage. She also added a block and finished with a team-high 12 points. Jordan Williams reached double figures as well with 10 kills. Jada Griffin contributed an efficient six kills with only one error, hitting .200 for the match.
Madelyn Ross continued to make an impact in multiple areas, recording 28 assists, five kills, nine digs, one service ace and a block assist. Ross did not commit an attack error on 23 attempts and finished with a .217 hitting percentage. Abbie Chatman added nine assists and six digs.
Defensively, Makayla Smith anchored the Lady Magicians with a match-high 19 digs. Ileana Austin added 15 digs, while Jaylah Jordan collected 11. Malani Duncan provided LOC's strongest presence at the net with two solo blocks and one block assist.
With the non-conference portion of the early-season schedule behind them, the Lady Magicians will now turn their attention to SIAC conference play. LeMoyne Owen travels to Albany, Georgia, this weekend for the SIAC Eastern Crossover, where LOC will play four conference matches over two days at the Jones Brothers HPER Complex.
The Lady Magicians open the crossover Friday, Sept. 18 against Clark Atlanta University at 9:00 a.m., followed by Fort Valley State University at 2:00 p.m. LOC returns Saturday, Sept. 19 to face Allen University at 10:30 a.m. before closing the weekend against Benedict College at 3:30 p.m.
The four-match weekend provides the Lady Magicians an opportunity to turn the page on their challenging non-conference schedule and begin a new chapter as SIAC competition gets underway.
