Bearcats Sweep Lions

FLORENCE, S.C. - The Mars Hill volleyball team dropped a 3-0 decision to Lander on Friday afternoon at the FMU Invitational in the Smith University Center. The Lions fall to 0-2 on the season, while Lander improves to 1-0.

Freshman Lauren Hochstetler led the Lions with 10 kills, five digs and a block while hitting .242. Senior Christen Nicholson had 23 digs, with sophomore Hannah Rowe contributing 10 digs. Freshman Sara Fahrenbrook tallied 27 assists.

Sydney Tracy led the Bearcats with 16 kills, with Tarryn Angermeier adding 10 kills. Four Lander players finished with double figures in digs.

The Lions and Bearcats spent much of the early stages of the first set within a pair of points of each other. Mars Hill enjoyed a 7-6 lead following a Rowe kill, but Lander pulled ahead to a 17-10 lead. A Devon Felts kill pulled the Lions to within five, 17-12, but the Bearcats held on for a 25-18 victory.

Lander jumped out to a 9-1 lead in the second set but saw the Lions pull to within three points, 14-11. Mars Hill pulled to within three points on two different occasions (16-13, 18-15) before Lander went on a 7-1 run to win the game 25-16.

Rebecca Butler gave the Lions a 1-0 lead in the third game thanks to a kill before Lander pulled ahead to a 12-5 lead. Mars Hill cut the Lander lead to six, 12-6, following a Butler kill but would get no closer the rest of the way.

The Lions continue play in the FMU Invitational tomorrow morning, facing Erskine at 9 a.m. before finishing the tournament against host Francis Marion at 5 p.m.