WBU Volleyball Falls in Four Sets to Baptist Bible

The Williams Baptist University volleyball team battled back from down two sets to extend the match, but Baptist Bible COllege pulled away in the fourth set to take a 25-23, 25-22, 25-27, 25-17 at the W.E. Dowell Fieldhouse on Thursday night. 

Two Eagles tallied double-digit kills, led by Hope Raymond's season-high 18 on 57 attempts. The sophomore committed just three errors to hit .263, while also corralling 26 digs. Halli Bolinger-Yount also notched a double-digit kills with 12 kills and also added eight kills. Faith Raymond led all players with 31 digs, while Laykin Harkcom notched a double-double with 43 assists and 15 digs. Krista Jones tallied double-digit digs with 20, while Alonna Thomas also had 13 digs.

Baptist Bible took the opener by a count of 25-23, despite both teams struggling with their attack in the frame. The Patriots rode the momentum into the second set and out hit Williams .225 to .128 despite the fact that the Eagles held an early 7-2 lead in the set. The Patriots roared back to tie the set at 13-13 and continued to carry a slight edge throughout the remainder of the set to take the 2-0 lead in the match.

Williams was down 20-14 and looked to be on the brink of losing the third set, but a 5-0 got them right back into it at 20-19. The Patriots pushed the lead 23-21, but back-to-back attack errors tied the set at 23-23. After trading points, Williams and opportunity to close out the set at 25-24, but Baptist Bible was able to fight it off, but the WBU responded in the next exchange after an attack error from the Patriots and a kill from TInleigh Ruhman to close out the set at 27-25.

Looking to force a fifth, WBU held an early 10-8 lead, but Baptist Bible rode a wave of momentum and took a 21-15 edge that the Eagles simply could not overcome. The Patriots closed out the match with a kill and block on match point, to close out the match with a 25-17 victory.

Williams returns to the courts Saturday, Sept. 16 against Champion College. First serve is set for 1 p.m. at the Southerland-Mabee Center.

WBU is a private, Christian university in Walnut Ridge.