WILBERFORCE, Ohio — The LeMoyne Owen College women's volleyball team continued SIAC play over the weekend at the Central State Cluster, taking on Spring Hill College, Tuskegee University and Miles College inside Beacom-Lewis Gymnasium.
Despite coming away without a victory, the Lady Magicians showed signs of growth throughout the weekend, saving their strongest overall performance for Saturday's finale against Miles.
LeMoyne Owen opened the cluster Friday afternoon against Spring Hill, falling in straight sets, 19-25, 7-25 and 5-25. LOC battled closely in the opening set before the Badgers found their rhythm offensively, finishing the match with a .338 hitting percentage.
Jordan Williams provided a bright spot offensively for the Lady Magicians with a team-high eight kills, while Kennedy White added five. Madelyn Ross handed out 14 assists, and freshman libero Makayla Smith continued her strong defensive play with 13 digs.
Later Friday, LOC returned to the court against Tuskegee and showed considerably more fight in a 3-0 setback. The Lady Magicians pushed the Golden Tigers into extra points in the opening set before narrowly falling 27-25. Tuskegee eventually took the final two frames, 25-12 and 25-20.
One of LeMoyne Owen's strongest areas against Tuskegee came from the service line, where the Lady Magicians held a 6-3 advantage in aces. White recorded three aces to go along with a team-high five kills and 11 digs. Smith anchored the back row with 17 digs, while Ross finished with 13 assists. Ca'Driane Martin also made her presence felt at the net, contributing to five blocks.
Lady Magicians Save Best for Miles
LOC closed the weekend Saturday morning with arguably its most complete performance of the cluster against Miles College.
Although the Lady Magicians ultimately fell 3-0, the final score did not fully reflect how competitive the match was. LOC pushed Miles to the limit in the opening set before falling 29-27 and remained within striking distance throughout the second frame in a 25-21 loss. Miles closed the match 25-17 in the third.
The Lady Magicians' offense made a noticeable jump, producing 38 kills, their highest total of the weekend. LOC also finished just four digs behind Miles, 67-63, and held a 5-3 advantage in service aces.
Kennedy White and Jada Griffin led the attack with 10 kills apiece, while Williams added eight. White turned in an impressive all-around performance with 10 kills on a .267 hitting percentage and 14 digs for a double-double. Ross also recorded a double-double, distributing 31 assists while collecting 12 digs and two aces. Smith once again led the Lady Magicians defensively with 16 digs.
The progression from Friday's opening match to Saturday's finale gives the Lady Magicians something positive to build on as they continue through a demanding stretch of conference competition.
Back to Wilberforce for the Western Crossover
LeMoyne Owen will get another opportunity to turn that progress into results when the Lady Magicians return to Wilberforce, Ohio, this weekend for the SIAC Western Crossover at Beacom-Lewis Gymnasium.
LOC opens the crossover on Friday, Oct. 2 at 11:30 a.m. against Edward Waters University before returning to the court that evening at 7:00 p.m. against Savannah State University. The Lady Magicians conclude the weekend on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 10:30 a.m. against Albany State University.
With another three conference matches ahead, the Lady Magicians will look to carry the competitiveness and offensive improvement displayed against Miles into the Western Crossover as they continue working toward building momentum during the second half of the season.
