Banner Elk, NC – Southern Wesleyan dropped the Conference Carolinas match-up against the Lees-McRae Bobcats in a 3-0 final on Wednesday evening.

The Warriors hit 22.3% while collected 34 kills in the loss to the Bobcats.  Amber Bass led the team with 11 of the 34 kills of the evening.  She was followed by both Riley Young and Abigail Gannaio with seven.  Ashley Sexton had 16 assists with Kali Letcher following with 12.  Letcher went on to record the lone service ace of the match.  The Warriors recorded nine total team blocks.  Riley Young led the team with seven blocks.  Of the 43 digs, Kristina Pino collected 15.
 

 
Match Vitals

Final: Lees-McRae 3, Southern Wesleyan 0
                Set One: Lees-McRae 25, Southern Wesleyan 23
                Set Two: Lees-McRae 25, Southern Wesleyan 21
                Set Three: Lees-McRae 25, Southern Wesleyan 21

Records: Southern Wesleyan (3-19 / CC 1-12) Lees-McRae (6-18 / CC 5-9)

 
 
How It Happened

Set One
The Bobcats attacked quickly as Sydney Stigler collected a kill and ace before the Warriors were able to get on the board.  Amber Bass put down a kill to put the Warriors down 4-2.  Southern Wesleyan continued to put up a fight as an assisted block by Riley Young and Bass allowed the Warriors to come within one of the Bobcats.  Young and Bass blocked another attack by Lees-McRae to put Southern Wesleyan on top 7-5.  The Bobcats tied it up shortly after, but a kill by Amber Bass put the Warriors back on top.  Lees-McRae battled back as a kill by Stigler put them ahead 15-14.  Abigail Gannaio collected a kill to tie the set up at eighteen points apiece.  However, the tie was short lived as a kill by Julia Emore put the Bobcats back in the lead.  Riley Young put down a kill to keep the Warriors within one of the Bobcats.  However, the Bobcats took the first set 25-23.
 
Set Two
Back-to-back aces gave the Bobcats an early lead, but a kill by Abigail Gannaio allowed the Warriors to stay within one point.  Amber Bass put down a kill to tie the set back up.  However, a kill by Sydney Stigler allowed Lees-McRae to regain their lead.  Lees-McRae extended their lead to 6-3 on blocks by Julia Emore and Rebecca Ryan.  Tiyonnah Brown collected a kill to cut the Bobcats lead in half.  An assisted block by Trinity Eichman and Amber Bass put the Warriors down 8-6.  The Bobcats and Warriors continued to battle it out as a kill by Emily Ellis tied the second set up 15-15.  A second kill by Ellis put Southern Wesleyan ahead by one.  However, the Bobcats tied the set back up on kills by Sydney Stigler.  The Warriors continued to challenge on an assisted block by Riley Young and Tiyonnah Brown.  However, a kill by Emore gave the Bobcats a 25-21 point victory.
 
Set Three
Lees-McRae took the first point of the third set on an assisted block by Julia Emore and Destiny Holley.  However, a kill by Riley Young allowed the Warriors to tie the third set up.  The Bobcats took a 4-1 point lead on an ace by Bre Adamson.  Amber Bass collected a kill to keep the Warriors within two points of the Bobcats.  Southern Wesleyan fought back as kills by Abigail Gannaio and Riley Young put the Warriors down 11-8.  A kill by Tiyonnah Brown allowed the Warriors to tie the third set up 11-11.  Kills by Bass and Gannaio put the Warriors on top by one.  However, the Bobcats would not relent as kills by Stigler and Emore allowed them to regain the lead.  The Bobcats went on to win the final set in a 21-25 final score.
 

 
What's Next

Southern Wesleyan will return to Central, SC on October 21 as they welcome the University of Mount Olive Trojans to Historic Tysinger Gymansium at 6 p.m.  They will remain at home on October 22 to host the UNC Pembroke Braves at 2 p.m.  The Warriors will then travel to Franklin Springs, GA on October 25.  Southern Wesleyan will wrap up the regular season at home as they host Converse on October 29 and Erskine on November 1.