NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The University of West Florida volleyball team (13-5, 5-3 ASUN) fell to Lipscomb (15-5, 8-2 ASUN) in straight sets on Friday. The Argos finished with 29 kills and a .124 hitting percentage, while Lipscomb recorded 44 kills and hit .337.
West Florida traded points with Lipscomb early in the first set and took a 3-1 lead on a Delaney Hanowell kill and a Lipscomb setting error. Lipscomb tied the score at 5-5, then moved ahead 8-5 behind an Ella Durham ace and consecutive kills from Anna Claire Brown. An Emily Breazeale kill and a Lipscomb attack error kept the Argos within 10-7, but Lipscomb scored six straight points to extend its lead. Kumara Flanagain and Talya Sampson added late kills for West Florida before Lipscomb closed the set with three consecutive points to win 25-11.
Flanagain opened the second set with back-to-back kills from Gabi Moulton to put West Florida ahead 2-0. Lipscomb responded with nine straight points on Madyson McCarthy's serve, including two aces and kills from Sydney Strenger and Durham. The Argos got kills from Hanowell, Flanagain, Aniston Cochran and Libby Tulip, but Lipscomb maintained its lead. After a Durham kill made it 16-9, Lipscomb scored four straight points, capped by a Kelsey Schenck ace. Brown's kill and a block by Schenck and Strenger closed out the 25-15 win.
West Florida held a narrow lead several times early in the third set, with kills from Breazeale, Hanowell, Sampson, Moulton and Flanagain. Lipscomb tied the set at 15-15 on a Strenger block, and the teams remained even at 18-18 after a Durham kill. Lipscomb then scored four straight points to take a 22-18 lead. Sampson and Flanagain answered with kills, and a Lipscomb attack error followed by a Sampson ace brought the Argos within 23-22. Lexi Guinn's kill gave Lipscomb set point, and after a Hanowell-Breazeale block made it 24-23, Strenger finished the match with a kill, 25-23.
Flanagain led West Florida with 11 kills and 11.5 points while hitting .308. Moulton recorded 18 assists and seven digs, while Camryn Brooks led the Argos with 11 digs and added an assist. Breazeale finished with six kills and a .385 hitting percentage.
West Florida travels to Louisville, Ky., to face Bellarmine on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 3 p.m. at Knights Hall. Live stats will be available on GoArgos.com. The match will be broadcast on ESPN+
