BLUEFIELD - Women's volleyball battled Truett McConnell University for five sets Friday night at the Dome, but in the end the visiting Bears scratched their way to victory.
The Rams came out smoking to open the match, running to a 3-0 lead in the opening set. TMU tied things at three, then pulled ahead 5-3. The Rams forced four ties before taking the lead 12-11 on a kill by Leslie Flores. Jessica Wells' kill put the Rams ahead 13-11 and the Rams would extend their lead to six at 19-13 on a Taylor Southerland kill. Truett McConnell fought back and tied the set at 20. TMU held a late 24-23 lead, but the Rams scored the final three points to take the first set 26-24.
In the second set Truett held the early lead and Sophia Sansone's ace tied things at five. The teams battled with neither gaining more than a three-point advantage until late in set two, hwen the Bears built a five point lead. The visitors took the second set 25-18 to tie the match.
Truett McConnell went ahead with a 25-18 win in the third set. Again it was closely contested. The teams were tied at 22 before the Bears scored the final three points to take the win.
Bluefield College rebounded in the fourth set to gain a 25-17 win and force a deciding fifth set. The Rams scored the first seven points of the set and never trailed. The lead grew as high as nine at 15-6.
The final set proved as competitive as the first four with Truett McConnell holding the biggest lead at four points. The Rams got to within two at 13-11, but the Bears scored two of the final three points to win the set and match.
Wells led Bluefield with 30 kills. Flores had 13 kills with 21 digs, and Katie Kendrick had 12 kills along with three blocks. Aubri Whatcott had 54 assists. Claire Fingerlin had 18 digs and Kassidy Brown added 16.
The Rams fell to 2-4 with the loss, while Truett McConnell improved to 9-2.