Banner Elk, NC – Southern Wesleyan fell on the road to the Lees-McRae Bobcats in a 3-1 final on Friday evening.

The Warriors recorded 44 kills against the Bobcats with senior Olivia Johnson leading the team with 17.  On her second kill of the evening, Johnson picked up her 1000 career kill.  Kali Letcher posted 22 assists while freshman Ashley Sexton following with 11.  The Warriors had two service aces.  Danairi Malave led the team with six of the 13 blocks.  Southern Wesleyan had 76 digs in the loss to Lees-McRae.  Both Johnson and Kaylyn Woods led the team with 18 digs apiece.

 
Match Vitals

Set One: Lees-McRae 25, Southern Wesleyan 23

Set Two: Lees-McRae 25, Southern Wesleyan 14

Set Three: Southern Wesleyan 25, Lees-McRae 23

Set Four: Lees-McRae 25, Southern Wesleyan 23

Final: Lees-McRae 3, Southern Wesleyan 1

Record: Southern Wesleyan (0-5 / CC 0-5) Lees-McRae (6-4 / CC 3-3)


 
How It Happened

Set One
Lees-McRae charged out of the gate in the first set as they took the first three points, but then kills by Olivia Johnson allowed the Warriors to come to 3-4 behind the Bobcats.  The Warriors tied the first set up at six points apiece on kills by Danairi Malave and Emily Ellis.  Lees-McRae regained the lead, but an assisted block by Riley Young and Ashlyn Holford allowed Southern Wesleyan to keep the set tied.  The Warriors pushed ahead on a kill by Ellis, however the lead was short lived as the Bobcats pushed ahead on kills of their own.  Despite an ace by Kali Letcher and a kill by Johnson, Lees-McRae won the first set 25-23.
 
Set Two
The Bobcats took an early 4-0 lead before Olivia Johnson laid down a kill to put the Warriors down 4-1.  Lees-McRae continued to distance themselves from Southern Wesleyan on an ace by Mahealani Chun to put them on top 10-4.  Kills by Emily Ellis and Johnson put the Warriors within five of the Bobcats.  However, Lees-McRae claimed the set two victory on a kill by Caitlyn Smirne.
 
Set Three
Southern Wesleyan took the first point of the third set on an attack error by the Bobcats, but kills by Olivia Ney allowed Lees-McRae to take the lead.  However, a kill by Olivia Johnson off a pass from Kali Letcher put the third set in a 2-2 tie.  Kills by Danairi Malave and Emily Ellis pushed the Warriors ahead 8-6.  Southern Wesleyan continued to distance themselves in the third set of the match as Ellis laid down another kill to give them a three-point lead.  Kills by Johnson, Jesse Soles and Ashlyn Holford allowed the Warriors to push their lead to 15-10.  The Bobcats fought back, coming to within one point on an ace by Ney.  A kill by Holford allowed the Warriors to claim the third set 25-23.
 
Set Four
The Warriors took a 3-0 lead on kills by Ashlyn Holford and Olivia Johnson.  The Bobcats countered on an attack error to come within one, but back-to-back kills by Emily Ellis allowed the Warriors to push ahead 7-2.  Kills by Smirne propelled the Bobcats to within two, but the Warriors would not back down as Danairi Malave and Zharia Harris blocked Lees-McRae's attacks.  Lees-McRae maintained the pressure, taking the lead on a kill by Smirne.  Despite kills by Malave, the Bobcats won the final set 25-23.

 
What's Next

Southern Wesleyan will remain on the road on March 20 as they travel to Bristol, TN to take on the King Tornado at 2 p.m.  They will remain on the road on March 27 as they travel to Murfreesboro, NC to take on the Chowan Hawks.  The Warriors will then take on the Belmont Abbey Crusaders in Belmont, NC on March 30.