SEARCY, Ark. – The Union University volleyball team showed resilience during three matches at the Harding University Invitational on Friday and Saturday.
Union opened the tournament Friday against Missouri S&T. The Lady Bulldogs improved throughout the match, recording 17 kills and hitting .265 in the third set before falling 3-0 (13-25, 17-25, 23-25).
Carleigh Charles led Union with 10 kills, while Elizabeth Gilbert recorded nine and Carly Edwards added six. Kylie Creech collected 22 assists. Charles, Gilbert and Caileigh Collins recorded six digs each.
The Lady Bulldogs finished the match with 33 kills, seven service aces, three blocks, 32 assists and 35 digs.
Union faced Southwest Baptist University in its second match Friday, falling 3-0 (19-25, 13-25, 5-25).
Gilbert led Union with seven kills and 11 digs. Charles recorded five kills, while Edwards added four. Creech contributed 21 assists, and Collins recorded a team-high 12 digs.
Union concluded the tournament Saturday with a hard-fought five-set match against Missouri Southern State University. The Lady Bulldogs opened with a 25-15 victory. After Missouri Southern State won the next two sets 25-22 and 28-26, Union responded with a 25-21 victory in the fourth set to force a deciding fifth set. Missouri Southern State secured the match with a 15-10 victory in the final set.
Gilbert led the Lady Bulldogs with 13 kills and added 14 digs. Edwards recorded 12 kills, while Sydney Davis added nine kills and four blocks.
Creech led Union with 29 assists and six service aces, while Avery Taylor added 18 assists. Collins recorded a team-high 19 digs, and Isabella Messer added 15.
Union is now 4-7 overall.
The Lady Bulldogs will return home Friday, Sept. 18, to face the University of Montevallo at 6 p.m. at Fred DeLay Gymnasium.
To stay up to date with the Lady Bulldogs, visit uuathletics.com/coverage and follow @UUAthleticsVB on Instagram and X.
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