Newberry, S.C. - The Newberry College Wolves (8-6 (3-4 SAC)) fell to South Atlantic Conference (SAC) opponent Lenoir-Rhyne (9-3 (7-1 SAC)) 3-2 on Thursday.
The Wolves would open the first set strong with a 4-1 run that featured a pair of Natasha Bannister kills, but the Bears would answer with a 4-1 run of their own to tie the set at 5-5, foreshadowing the intensity that would persist the entire match from both teams. Kills from Taylor Hall and Elizabeth Ober would lead the Wolves on another 4-1 run, but they could not gain much separation from the Bears. However, after being tied at 17-17, the Wolves would go on a 6-1 run that featured a pair of kills from Avery Webb in order to gain the separation they were looking for before ultimately taking the set 25-19.
The Wolves would start out strong again by beginning the second set with runs of 4-1 and 5-1 to claim a 9-4 lead. Newberry would keep pushing, and a Hall kill granted the Wolves a 7-point advantage, the largest lead for either team for the entirety of the match. However, the Bears would come storming back with a 7-1 run to close within one point of the Wolves. The Wolves would keep fighting, but after a Bannister kill put them up 22-18, the Bears would go on a 6-0 run to earn a match point opportunity at 24-22. The Wolves capitalized on a pair of Lenoir-Rhyne errors to tie the set at 24-24, and the race to gain a two-point lead was on. Both teams would fight hard as the set went back-and-forth, and it eventually grinded to a 30-30 tie. After a kill from Margaret McMahon fended off another set-point, Bannister would put the set away by a score of 32-30.
The third set began in a similar fashion to the previous two as Newberry began with a 5-1 run, but this time it was Lenoir-Rhyne that went on the offensive. The Bears would go on runs of 6-0 and 4-0 to take an 11-7 lead. However, a Zoe Dinkins kill and a service ace from Katie Ullsperger would propel the Wolves to a 4-0 run to tie the set at 11-11. The Bears would push back out ahead, but the Wolves would stay within striking distance. A 5-1 Newberry run would bring the Wolves to within one point of the Bears, but Lenoir-Rhyne answered with a 3-0 spurt. The Wolves would keep fighting, rallying with a 4-1 run that included back-to-back kills from Dinkins to fend off two set-points, but it would not be enough as the Bears claimed the third set by a score of 25-23.
The fourth set was arguably the most neck-and-neck of the entire match. Neither team could produce a lead any greater than three points. The moment one team seemed to have an advantage, the other would have an answer. After being down 11-8, Newberry would go on a 5-1 run with kills from Bannister and McMahon. Later in the set, the Bears would respond with a 5-0 run after the Wolves had a 19-17 lead. The Bears would not give up the lead again. A kill from Hall was able to fend off one set-point, but the Bears would take the fourth set 25-23.
The fifth set showed how determined both teams were as the set would be tied on eight different occasions. Neither team seemed to be able to gain any separation until a pair of kills from Bannister gave the Wolves a three-point advantage. However, the Bears would answer with a 5-1 run to take a one-point lead. After tying the score back up at 11-11, the Bears would go on a 4-1 run to end the set 15-12, the match 3-2, and break the Wolves' hearts.
Despite the loss, the Wolves showed their resiliency, going toe-to-toe with the SAC-leading Bears of Lenoir-Rhyne. The Wolves actually finished with eight more total points than the Bears overall.
Bannister would lead the Wolves with a 21 kill, 24 dig double-double. Hall would have 11 kills and 9 digs while Webb notched a 53 assist, 15 dig double-double to go along with 6 kills of her own. Dinkins had 11 kills, 6 digs, and 8 total blocks, 5 of which were solo. Amanda Berecz would produce 30 digs on the night defensively. Ober and McMahan each had 9 kills while Ullsperger added 9 digs to round out an impressive box score.
The Wolves return to action on Saturday, Oct. 9 at Limestone at 4 p.m.
