Eagles Comeback Attempt Falls Short
Wilmore, KY – Asbury couldn’t complete a comeback in the fifth set and fell to Union (Ky.) 3-2 on Thursday night at the Luce Center. The Eagles were locked in a tight match as neither team held a lead of bigger than six points throughout.
Asbury took the first set 28-26 despite Union having two set point opportunities. Brittney Rader led the team in the first set with five of her 10 kills on the night. Rader brought the Eagles back from the verge of losing with a tip kill and Catherine Wolter followed with a kill of her own to give the Eagles a 27-26 lead. Union would hit the ball out on the final play.
Union was on the edge of losing the second set the same way they lost the first as Asbury tied the score at 23. The Lady Bulldogs would score the next two points, the final one coming as Asbury failed to get the ball back over the net in three hits and win the set 25-23. The Lady Bulldogs would take the third set 25-19 in the most lopsided set of the night.
Once again the Eagles were seemingly out of the set and almost out of the match, down 15-8 in set four. Asbury responded with an 18-9 run to close out the set and force a fifth and deciding set. The Eagles were down 23-18 before reeling off six straight points to take a 24-23 lead. In that run Lauren Budde scored on back-to-back tip kills, she finished with eight kills. Asbury’s leader on the night in kills, Dena Busse had the kill that tied the set at 23-23, she finished the night with 13 kills.
Union took an 8-5 lead into the changeover in set five and fended off one final rally from the Eagles to win 15-11. The Eagles were able to close the gap to 13-10 but couldn’t complete yet another comeback.
Emily Andrews led the team with 26 assists, Mackenzie Burke tallied 15. Allison Rehner totaled nine kills on the night, Lindsay Ibold added eight and only one error in 26 attempts. Hannah Wheeler dug 27 balls and Kelly Cole added 21.
Asbury will host St. Louis College of Pharmacy on Saturday at 12:00 pm in the KIAC opener for both teams.
