Marietta, Ga. – Shawnee State volleyball fell in their regular season finale on Saturday afternoon, being swept by Life 3-0 (20-25, 21-25, 20-25) at The Nest in Marietta, Georgia.
Life would take an early 4-2 lead in the first set, but SSU would rally to take a 6-5 lead on a Macie Rhoads (FR/Circleville, Ohio) kill. The teams would trade points until the Running Eagles would score four straight points to go up 11-8. After a pair of Shawnee State points, Life scored six more points, going up 16-10. Shawnee State would cut the lead to three points late at 20-17, but Life would close out the set for a 25-20 win.
Shawnee State would win the first six points of the second set, and end up leading 8-3 early. Life would battle back into the set, eventually tying the set at 11-11, then taking a 14-12 lead. A Tyanna Smith (SR/Bowling Green, Ohio) kill and Gaby Ferran attack error would see SSU tie the game at 14-14, but Life would score five of the next six points to go up 19-15. SSU would battle back from there, with Life committing four errors to help Shawnee State go back on top 21-20. The Running Eagles would then put the set away by scoring the final five points of the set, winning 25-21.
Life would be in control of the third set throughout, only trailing at 1-0 early. The Running Eagles built an early 10-6 lead, and would hold Shawnee State off from there. The Bears cut the lead at one point to 14-13 on a Smith kill, but Life would fend off the SSU rally and put away the set. Ferran's kill to end the set 25-20 would clinch Life a 3-0 sweep in the final game of the regular season for both teams.
Tyanna Smith had nine kills to lead Shawnee State. Emily Cooper (FR/Hamersville, Ohio) had 14 assists, and Stacia Martin (JR/Indianapolis, Indiana) led the defense with nine digs.
Liz Mann had 15 kills to lead the way for Life, with Mary Zimmerman adding 10. Amber Harris had 36 assists, and Mary Alvis had 21 digs.
The loss sees Shawnee State end the regular season 13-19, and 3-11 in the Mid-South Conference. Life improves to 11-21 and to 5-9 in the league.
Shawnee State volleyball will take on Campbellsville in the first round of the Mid-South Conference Tournament in Bowling Green, Kentucky. SSU will be the No. 7 seed in the tournament. Game time will be announced later this week.
