Box Score JACKSON, Tenn. – The Lee University volleyball team battled back from a first-set defeat to win three straight and defeat host Union University on Tuesday evening inside Fred DeLay Gymnasium. The Bulldogs won the first set 25-21 and the Lady Flames bounced back with 25-11, 25-18, 25-20 decisions and improved to 7-5 in GSC play and 11-10 overall. Union dropped to 2-10, 4-15.
The Lady Flames will return to Walker Arena and begin a big weekend on Friday when they host the University of Montevallo in the annual Volley For A Cure. The event will get underway at 6 p.m. The action continues on Saturday at 2 p.m. when the University of Alabama in Huntsville will pay its annual visit.
Sara Palumbo highlighted the win over the Bulldogs. She served up eight aces. It was the most since Abby Stroh had seven against Erskine University on Sept. 22, 2023. Palumbo also had 10 digs and five kills in the win.
Sophia Lippert was the leader at the net. The lefty had 12 kills and a .500 attack mark. Payton Danley came up with nine kills, two blocks and one blocking assist. Esthefany Rabit delivered five blocks, one solo kill and three blocking assists while Jordyn Butler delivered six kills, two blocks and three assists at the net.
Berra Soyler was the assist leader as she dished off 16 while freshman Sydney Sharpe delivered 10. Izzy Denton went to the deck for a team-leading 15 digs. Mikayla Buhr teamed with Sharpe for six digs apiece.
The Bulldogs got 12 kills and 12 digs from Elizabeth Gilbert. Parker Goff followed with 10 kills and three aces. Kylie Creech delivered 18 assists and Sarah-Kate Savage had two aces and eight digs.
Coach Christa Fabre's thoughts:
"Always good to get a win on the road! Our team has to grow in starting off strong and continuing high level play through an entire match. We did a good job of shutting down their offense and kept them to a very low hitting percentage. Sophia Lippert had a great match, leading us in kills with a high hitting percentage. Izzy played so well defensively and with our first contact in serve receive. Time to get ready for our matches this weekend."
