SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- Despite a valiant effort from standout seniors Savanna Riney (14 kills) and Erin Mullins (7 blocks), the John Brown University volleyball team dropped a closely contested four-set match (22-25, 20-25, 25-21, 23-25) to No. 22 and conference-leading Nelson (Texas) on Friday evening inside Bill George Arena.
Riney and Mullins headlined an aggressive offensive display for John Brown. Riney tallied 14 kills on a .375 hitting percentage, while Mullins contributed 10 kills while hitting .381, providing a formidable presence at the net. Senior Taylor Golmen also delivered with eight kills in the middle on a .353 hitting percentage. Freshman Tessa Burton chipped in 14 assists off the bench, matching her career-high, while junior Emma DeSanti kept the attack fluid with 19 assists.
On the defensive side, Mullins anchored the blocking effort with seven total blocks, including two solo. Also in the middle, Golmen chipped in six rejections as the hosts amassed a total of 13 team blocks, which helped limit Nelson's offensive runs throughout the match. Senior Julie Milligan capped another stellar night at the service line, matching a career high with seven aces, while also adding 14 digs to her stat line.
The Golden Eagles (10-13, 9-6 Sooner Athletic) came out strong, with Milligan igniting the early momentum by launching five aces, allowing the hosts to open a 9-0 lead before the Lions were able to end the rally. Despite the fast start, the set featured seven ties and three lead changes as the visiting Lions (19-4, 14-0) battled back to tie the set at 16 apiece. Nelson's offense gradually found its rhythm, hitting .333, and finishing the set on a 6-3 rally after the teams were again deadlocked at 19.
The second set saw an even tighter battle, with both teams trading points early on. Tied at 7-7, Nelson rattled off a quick 6-1 run to take a lead it would never relinquish. Armed with a 13-8 advantage, the Lions maintained a buffer of at least four points, despite John Brown pulling within 22-18.
Finally, the Golden Eagle offense exploded in the third set, showcasing its best offensive effort of the night with a .346 team hitting percentage. The set featured 10 ties, as neither team could fully pull away. Senior Ella Yarborough led the offensive charge with four kills (.500) from the pin, and helped the hosts break out of a 10-10 tie midway through the set. While holding a narrow 19-18 advantage, terminations from Riney and Mullins was enough to clinch the set, capped off by Burton's ace to pull JBU within a 2-1 score.
After a handful of lead changes early in the fourth, the Golden Eagles found themselves down by as many as five, 15-10, but clawed back to within two, 16-14, after a pair of timely blocks. The Lions responded with a 5-1 rally to pull ahead 21-15, and despite a late John Brown charge to close within 23-21, Nelson closed out the match with Caroline Boone's terminations.
Nelson was paced by Mackenzie Smith's 13 kills on 25 swings (.400) and Bailee Alexander, who added 12 kills on a .346 hitting percentage and four blocks. Alexandra Bonnett pitched in with 10 kills and four block assists, while Tessa Glick recorded a match-high 21 digs and a team-best five service aces. Cassidy Hargesheimer and Taylor Cavazos directed the offense with 26 and 23 assists, respectively, helping the Lions finish with a .243 attack clip and remaining undefeated in league play.
"I'm proud of the effort, grit, and determination our players showed in battling an undefeated Nelson team through four closely contested sets," said head coach Ken Carver. "We managed to disrupt their rhythm early in the first set with our serving strategy, but they eventually found their footing and demonstrated the poise expected of a top-25 team. Our offense struggled initially to break through Nelson's scrappy defense, but as the match progressed, we established a better offensive rhythm, and our blocking significantly improved. By the final two sets, we came close to forcing a fifth set."
John Brown will now face Texas Wesleyan in a crucial SAC matchup at 1 p.m. on Saturday (Oct. 19) inside Bill George Arena. The match will be broadcast live on the SAC Sports Network.
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