Box Score by Kevin Buczek
MISENHEIMER, N.C.-Barton College freshman middle blocker Melissa Cochran (Knightdale, N.C.) had a season-high 11 kills, a .455 hitting percentage and a match-high four blocks in a 26-24, 25-14, 23-25, 25-23 Conference Carolinas road loss at Pfeiffer University on Friday night.
Sophomore Jordan O'Bryant (Reidsville, N.C.) led all hitters with a match-high 15 kills and a .520 hitting percentage to lead the Lady Falcons (4-5 Overall, 1-1 Conference) to the 3-1 victory over the Lady Bulldogs (5-6, 1-3).
Both teams went back-and-forth in the opening set trading rallies as a Lady Falcon error and ace by Kati Wood (Pasadena, Md.) put the Lady Bulldogs up 16-13. Later, a pair of kills by Kim Amerell (Lynchburg, Va.) and aces by Kelly Lancellot (Naples, Fla.) saw Pfeiffer find themselves up 18-17 with a Barton timeout. Again, a service ace by Amanda Grandy (Rolesville, N.C.) and kill by Wood put the visitors back up two late at 21-19. After a Pfeiffer timeout, O'Bryant would soon give the Lady Falcons the set lead for good with put downs at 23-22 and 24-23 to set up the initial extended win at 26-24.
In the second set, an early kill by Meka Hoover (Seagrove, N.C.) put the Lady Bulldogs up 8-4 before Pfeiffer dominated the rest of the set. The Lady Falcons would close out set two on a 21-6 run to set up a 2-0 match lead. Kills by both Amerell and O'Bryant started the streak as a pair of Taylor Houser (Mount Holly, NC) aces aided in an eventual seven-point run, the largest of the set, as Pfeiffer cruised 25-14.
Like set one, both teams battled back-and-forth in the third as Wood helped Barton knot the contest at 17 and 18 points. Two Meredith Watkins (Oxford, N.C.) kills put the Lady Bulldogs up two at 23-21 before Anna Vizvary (North Augusta, S.C.) and O'Bryant made things interesting coming back to trail 24-23 forcing another Barton timeout. After the brief stoppage, Cochran would nail down the final point with one of her 11 kills on the night to stave off a sweep and force a fourth set.
Pfeiffer had to fight its way back into set four after a Wood kill and hitting error by the hosts put Barton up 10-7. Another Houser ace, O'Bryant kill and two more throw downs by Lancellot tied the fourth set at 13 before taking the lead for good on a Colleen Wands (Apex, N.C.) ace. Amerell provided breathing room with back-to-back kills to make it 18-14, while O'Bryant and Lancellot moved the Lady Falcons to match point as a Cate Glendenning (Holly Springs, N.C.) kill ended the match.
For Pfeiffer, after O'Bryant's 15 kills, Lancellot followed with an even-dozen while Amerell concluded with 11. Lancellot hit at a .364 clip in the match while Glendenning hit .357 with her seven kills. Glendenning also led the way with a match-high 45 assists while Amerell put up a match-high 12 digs. O'Bryant followed right behind with 10.
For the Lady Bulldogs, Wood paved the way with 13 kills followed by Cochran's 11. Hoover dished out a season-best 35 assists while libero Chelsea Fluery (Camden, N.C.) popped up 11 digs.
Barton will try and bounce back at home on Saturday when the Bulldogs host league rival Queens University of Charlotte at 2 p.m., during the College's Family Weekend.
