WAXAHACHIE, Texas -- Hitting .333 through the first two sets, the Golden Eagles jumped to a 2-0 lead on the preseason SAC favorites, but the host Lions roared back to life and won three straight sets as the John Brown University volleyball team fell in five (25-23, 25-22, 20-25, 14-25, 11-15) at Nelson (Texas) on Friday night (Sept. 19) inside the Sheaffer Center.
The host Lions (7-8, 5-1 Sooner Athletic) rode Mackenzie Smith to 14 kills on 27 swings (.407) as she added six block assists to jump-start the hosts back to life. Alexandra Bonnett added 14 terminations and 10 scoops to complete the double-double, while Samantha Moore added 13 kills and hit .500 on the evening.
Freshman Kate Carlson hit double-digits kills for the third time in her previous four matches, leading John Brown (6-7, 2-3) with 13 kills on 33 swings (.364). Sophomore Federica Ferrari and freshman Clara Hyke each contributed 12 and 10 kills, respectively, to round out the JBU attack leaders.
Freshman Taylor Kosmicki passed out at least 20 helpers for a second-straight outing, pacing the Blue and Gold with 26 assists, helping the visitors hit .333 (30-6-72) through the first two frames.
After four lead changes and 11 ties in the first set alone, junior Akayla Kador stepped up in consecutive rallies with the sides tied at 23, first with a solo block and again with the set-clinching termination to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Five different Golden Eagles pitched in with kills and a pair of services aces from Kosmicki and sophomore Tessa Burton quickly built a 11-3 John Brown lead in the second. Despite the eight-point deficit, Nelson pulled within two twice, but each time JBU responded with at least a 3-0 run to keep the lead wire-to-wire in the second frame. Hyke converted a pair of swings late in the set, both from Burton, to edge the visitors closer to a road sweep in Waxahachie – a feat not done for the Golden Eagles since 2008.
The visitors never held the lead in the third, and quick 2-0 leads in both the fourth and fifth sets wouldn't materialize as the Golden Eagles hit in negative territory over the final three periods of the match.
Kador led the front row with four blocks – two solo – while freshman Paige Addington racked up 22 digs in the back row. Fifteen service errors haunted John Brown throughout the night.
John Brown will now have to face Texas Wesleyan on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 20) inside the Sid Richardson Center where the Blue and Gold will seek its first win since 2014. Live on the SAC Sports Network and the Urban Edge Network, first serve is scheduled for 1 p.m.
FOLLOW THE GOLDEN EAGLES
Don't miss a minute of the latest action surrounding JBU Athletics by following the Golden Eagles on Twitter (@JBUathletics), Instagram (@JBUathletics) and Facebook (/JBUathletics). Catch every Golden Eagle home game and select away games on the SAC Sports Network, available online or for download on your favorite streaming device.
