SSU drops tight 3-0 matches to Lindsey Wilson (23-25, 25-27, 23-25), Campbellsville (20-25, 22-25, 19-25)

COLUMBIA, Ky. and CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. -- In a pair of matches against two former Mid-South Conference opponents, the Shawnee State volleyball program dropped tight decisions to the Lindsey Wilson Blue Raiders' and the Campbellsville Tigers' volleyball programs, falling in straight-set decisions in a pair of matches Saturday at Biggers Sports Center in Columbia, Ky. and Gosser Gymnasium in Campbellsville, Ky.

Against Lindsey Wilson, Shawnee State posted more digs (55-52), total blocks (24-10), and hit at a higher percentage rate (.155 to .152) than the Blue Raiders. However, the Bears were outdone in total attack attempts, as Lindsey Wilson's 139 attempts to Shawnee State's 110 allowed the Blue Raiders to overcome the slightly higher hitting rate that the Bears produced.

Against Campbellsville, Shawnee State was outhit on the attack as the Bears hit .120 as opposed to the Tigers' .186 hitting percentage. Campbellsville also notched 10 blocks to Shawnee State's two at the net.

Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)

After falling behind by a 4-0 margin to begin the opening set, the senior tandem of Kylee Gifford and Haidyn Wamsley stepped up in a major way for Shawnee State -- both offensively and defensively.

Wamsley posted a kill and two blocks to help Shawnee State close within an 8-6 count, while Gifford combined on three consecutive Shawnee State blocks in some form or facet to help the Bears draw even with the Blue Raiders at 9-9.

Later on in the set, two kills by Camille McIntosh, along with one kill each from Wamsley, Maelynn Howell, Megan Steele helped Shawnee State draw to within one, 20-19 -- and Gifford added in a trio of kills quickly to help the Bears draw even with Lindsey Wilson at 23 apiece. However, Lindsey Wilson's Ola Wyrzykowska ultimately answered with a pair of kills in her own right, helping Lindsey Wilson claim the opening set.

In what proved to be a near carbon-copy of the opening set, Shawnee State dug itself a 4-0 hole in the second set.

However, the frontline trio of Gifford, Wamsley and Howell -- Scioto County natives who are graduates of Wheelersburg, Northwest and West respectively -- due SSU out of the deficit.

Over the first 18 volleys of the second set, Wamsley ultimately obtained a kill and an assisted block, Howell nabbed a kill and two assisted blocks and Gifford posted a solo block and an assisted block to help Shawnee State again rally -- and draw even with Lindsey Wilson in a 9-9 second set deadlock.

Then, down 13-10, Shawnee State rallied on a 5-0 run that saw Gifford and McIntosh combine for a pair of blocks, with McIntosh adding in a kill during the spurt to give SSU a 15-13 lead. The duo then posted back-to-back spikes to help Shawnee State maintain a two-point cushion 32 volleys into the second set, as the Bears led 17-15 at that juncture -- while Howell and Wamsley combined for another block to give SSU a 19-16 lead.

Lindsey Wilson rallied with a 6-1 run in the second frame to take a 21-20 advantage -- but it appeared that Shawnee State, behind three Whytney Faulkner kills late in the second frame, had the second set under control, as the Bears forced set point twice by taking 24-23 and 25-24 leads late in the frame. However, two Lindsey Wilson kills and a service error allowed the Blue Raiders to rip off three consecutive points as Lindsey Wilson took the second frame, 27-25.

Over the first 25 volleys of the third set, neither SSU nor LWC led by more than two points -- as the lead swapped hands 10 times over that stretch alone. Through balanced attack hitting in the middle of the third set -- which included two kills from Wamsley and a kill each from Gifford, McIntosh and Faulkner -- Shawnee State again took the point as the Bears developed a 16-13 lead. However, a match-ending 12-7 spurt by Lindsey Wilson ultimately sealed the Bears' fate.

In the match, Shawnee State was led by seven kills from Kylee Gifford on a .333 attack percentage, seven kills from Whytney Faulkner, and six kills each from Haidyn Wamsley and Megan Steele. Gifford posted nine total blocks in the contest to head up the Bears' defensive effort while Maelynn Howell added in six total blocks and Wamsley five. Ava Jenkins' 17 digs led the backline while Steele's nine digs, along with a 14-assist, nine-dig effort from Makaela Lovely, helped the SSU contingent over the course of the match.

Campbellsville (Ky.)

In the opening set of competition against Campbellsville, Shawnee State trailed by margins of 9-6 and 12-10 -- but the Bears rallied as Kylee Gifford posted a pair of kills while Maelynn Howell added in a spike of her own to put Shawnee State ahead by margins of 16-15 and 20-19. Campbellsville, however, ended the opening set on a 6-0 spurt to claim the first frame.

The Bears answered back with a strong start to the second set -- as kills by Camille McIntosh and Haidyn Wamsley and a service ace by Makaela Lovely allowed Shawnee State to grab a 6-2 lead to begin the frame. Gifford, Howell, McIntosh and Wamsley then helped SSU build on its second set advantage as two kills and an assisted block by Gifford, two blocks by Wamsley, an assisted block by McIntosh and a kill by Howell allowed Shawnee State to take a 18-12 advantage -- but over the final 17 volleys, Campbellsville posted a 13-4 run to take the second frame. The Bears were unable to mount a serious charge at the lead in the third and final stanza as SSU fell in straight sets.

Haidyn Wamsley's nine kills on a .368 attack percentage and Kylee Gifford's six spikes on a .235 attack percentage led the Bears, while Ava Jenkins posted 15 digs and Megan Steele 13 dives to head up the defensive output. Makaela Lovely's 13 assists and eight digs and Marleigh Albert's 11 assists and five digs rounded out Shawnee State's main performers.

Additional

The Bears will have a two-week break before jumping into River States Conference competition, with its opening match a road bout at Indiana-Southeast on Saturday, Sept. 21. Game time for that match is set for 12 p.m. in New Albany, Ind.