Volleyball Wins Set but falls in 4 at Carolina

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Columbia College volleyball team won their first set of the season Tuesday night but dropped a heartbreaking four-set match on the road at Carolina University in Winston-Salem.

The Koalas won the first set 25-23 on a Tamia Fripp kill while totaling 17 kills and a .133 hitting percentage before CU (9-4) came back to take set two 25-16 on 13 kills hitting .370. Then, a back-and-forth third set saw the Koalas lead 18-14 and have two set points at 24-23 and 25-24 but could not close it out and saw the Bruins steal the set from the Koalas 27-25. Columbia then tried to take set four but could not overcome some hitting errors in falling 22-25.

Columbia totaled 44 kills in the match and 64 digs while hitting .056. They were led by a double-double from senior setter Lottie Assen and her 16 assists and 10 digs while fellow junior setter Debra Shephard amassed 14 assists with four digs, two aces and a kill. Freshman right side hitter and setter Lilly Almada then added 8 kills, 9 assists and a block.

Leading the attack were outside hitters Maranda Bird and sophomore Tamia Fripp as they combined for 18 kills but also 18 errors with each notching 9 kills apiece while Bird, a junior, also added 3 digs and a block. Senior middle blocker Destiny Brown also added 5 kills and 3 solo blocks while freshman hitter Kameron Turner recorded 8 kills and 7 digs.

Columbia will next open AAC play on Friday evening as they head to Swannanoa, NC and the Asheville Christian Academy to battle Montreat College at 6:30 pm.