MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Lee volleyball team won their regular season finale Saturday evening over Christian Brothers in four sets (25-22, 18-25, 25-19, 25-23).
Silvia Sartori recorded her third straight double-double with 12 kills and 20 digs. Bailey Kress led the offense with 20 kills followed closely by Alex Reuter with 15. MaKayla Beebe matched Sartori with 20 digs while Hanna Matthews recorded 44 assists on the night.
Lee kicked off the match with a 7-2 run before Christian Brothers closed the lead to one at 15-14. The Lady Flames gained set point at 24-20 before the Lady Bucs fought off two set points. Mary Katherine Givhan then slammed home set point taking it 25-22.
Christian Brothers made some adjustments and took advantage of an .056 attacking percentage in the set to take set two 18-25. It was all tied up at 13 before CBU used a 6-0 run to separate themselves before knotting up the match at one.
Set three the Lady Flames came out sizzling with 13 kills and zero errors for a .342 clip. After falling behind 9-10 they went on a little 5-1 run to take a three-point lead. Coach Hudson's squad then used a 6-1 run to get to set point. The hosts were able to fight off one, but a Reuter and Sartori block would end the set at 25-19 giving Lee a 2-1 match advantage.
Set four looked like it might be a run away as Lee jumped out to a 7-2 advantage to start the set and would eventually stretch it to a ten-point lead at 16-6. The Lady Bucs then came storming back cutting the lead to three at 16-13 and eventually cut the lead to one at 23-22. An Alex Reuter kill would give the Lady Flames match point. CBU stayed alive with a Mollie Wadsworth kill to keep the hosts alive. Joze Smith would serve and Reuter would slam home the set and match for Lee.
Emma Lenoir paced the Lady Bucs with 22 kills with Wadsworth at her heels slamming home 18 attacks. Alexa Henderson led the field with 53 assists as Emma Lenoir had 23 digs on the evening.
The Lady Flames improve to 18-13 overall and 13-3 in the GSC to finish third in the conference standings.
Christian Brothers finished their season at 12-20 and overall and 3-13 in conference play.
Up next, Lee travels to Pensacola, Fla. for the Gulf South Conference tournament. Lee is coming in as the number three seed and will take on Alabama Huntsville on Friday. The winner then takes on West Alabama on Saturday. West Florida is the host of the tournament after posting a 15-1 conference record.
