The Basics
Score: Evangel 3, Friends 2 | Box Score
Record: Evangel (15-11, 6-3), Friends (8-16, 0-8)
Location: Wichita, Kan. (Garvey Center)
WICHITA, Kan. – Evangel Volleyball traveled to Wichita on Wednesday (Oct. 21) night, taking on the Friends Falcons as they aimed to bounce back after a road loss to Sterling on Saturday. The Valor battled with the Falcons in a tightly contested matchup where Evangel ultimately prevailed in five sets, 3-2.
Evangel recorded 17 kills in the first set, but would also finish with 10 attacking errors, allowing the Falcons to stay in range of the lead. With the score tied at 15-15, three straight points from EU gave the Valor a 18-15 lead, but Friends did not back down, scoring five straight points to lead 20-18. Evangel battled to re-take a 22-21 lead, but again, the Falcons went on a 3-0 run to take a 24-22 lead. The Valor remained calm and collected, using kills from Ashya Thompson, Jessica Pritchett, and a service ace from Jersie Spears to rally for a 26-24 win in set one.
After leading 18-16 in set two, Evangel stumbled late, as five attacking errors allowed the Falcons to rally in the set, taking an advantage they did not relinquish in a 25-20 win over EU.
Friends led early in set three, but Evangel recaptured the lead on several Friends errors. Charlotte Hawkins and Jessica Pritchett used several kills to help EU maintain the lead, but again, the Falcons battled, as Friends captured a late 26-25 lead in the third set. Brooklyn Claxton and Simone Johnson both recorded kills following the FU run to generate the 3-0 run EU needed for the 28-26 win in set three.
Simone Johnson led Evangel in the fourth set, keeping the Valor in contention as Friends again did not go down quietly. A pair of kills from Johnson gave EU a 21-19 lead, but a timeout swung momentum back in the Falcons favor, as FU ended the set on a 6-2 run, forcing the game to a fifth and final set, 25-23.
In the race to 15 points, Friends and Evangel both sat tied at 6-6 in the fifth set. Evangel's game winning run came just after, as kills from Abby Ferguson and Johnson pushed EU to a 11-6 lead. A Cienna Turner kill and Brooke Daniels service ace closed out the set in EU's favor, 15-9, taking the win on Wednesday.
HIGHLIGHTS
UP NEXT
Evangel Volleyball returns home to host the Bethel College Threshers at 10:00 a.m., on Saturday (Oct. 24) morning.
For the latest information on Evangel Athletics, visit Facebook at Facebook.com/EvangelValor, Twitter (@EvangelValor), or EvangelAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on their favorite EU teams by downloading the Evangel Athletics Gameday App through the App Store or Google Play. Â
—#OneValor—
