HENDERSON, Ark. — The LeMoyne-Owen College women's volleyball team continued its early-season test against quality competition at the Reddies-Tiger Invitational, hosted by Henderson State University. The Lady Magicians finished the tournament 0-4, but showed flashes of their potential while several players delivered standout individual performances.
LeMoyne-Owen opened the tournament against West Alabama, falling in straight sets, 3-0. The Tigers found success offensively throughout the match, finishing with a .446 team hitting percentage while adding 14 service aces. LOC struggled to slow the West Alabama attack and was unable to establish enough consistency to swing the momentum.
The Lady Magicians responded with one of their strongest efforts of the tournament against Union University. After dropping the opening two sets, LOC showed its resilience in a hard-fought third set. The Lady Magicians battled through several extended rallies before earning a 31-29 victory to force a fourth set. Union eventually closed out the match, 3-1, but the performance provided several encouraging moments for LeMoyne-Owen.
Freshman outside hitter Kennedy White led the offensive effort against Union with 10 kills and an impressive .450 hitting percentage. Middle blocker Jordan Williams added six kills and four blocks while hitting .318. Libero Makayla Smith anchored the defense with 21 digs, averaging 5.25 digs per set.
Madelyn Ross also reached an early-season milestone against the Bulldogs, recording her first double-double of the year with 11 kills and 13 assists.
The level of competition remained high as LOC closed the tournament against host Henderson State and Texas A&M International, falling 3-0 in both matches. Against Henderson State, errors proved costly for the Lady Magicians, who committed a season-high 32 compared to just 13 by the Reddies.
Despite the difficult weekend, several Lady Magicians earned recognition for their play. White, Williams and Smith were each named to the Reddies-Tiger Invitational All-Tournament Team, giving LOC three representatives among the tournament's top performers.
Setter Abbie Chatman also continued to provide production for the Lady Magicians. She recorded 13 assists against Union before adding 14 against Texas A&M International, marking her fourth and fifth double-digit assist performances of the season.
LeMoyne-Owen leaves the tournament at 0-8, but the early portion of the schedule has provided the Lady Magicians with valuable experience against strong competition and opportunities to identify areas for growth.
Now, the focus shifts toward home.
LOC will return to Bruce-Johnson Hall for its 2026 home opener against Oakwood University on Tuesday, September 8 at 6 p.m. The match-up gives the Lady Magicians an opportunity to turn the page, compete in front of their home crowd and begin building momentum as the season moves forward.
With several young and new pieces continuing to settle into their roles, the Lady Magicians have shown enough flashes through the opening weeks to believe their best volleyball is still ahead.
