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Brown University
1-5
Liberty University
7-4
Volleyball Ousted by Liberty, 3-1
9/12/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Senior Maddie Lord (La Jolla, Calif.) posted a match-high 18 kills, but the Brown volleyball team fell to Liberty University, 3-1, in the team's opening match of the Brown Invitational on Friday evening at the Pizzitola Center.
Brown drops to 1-5 with the loss, while Liberty went 1-1 in the first day of the tournament and now stands at 7-4 on the season. Set scores in the match were 25-16, 21-25, 24-26 and 23-25.
In addition to Lord, sophomore Payton Smith (Atherton, Calif.) also reached double figures with 11 kills and hit at a .400 clip. Sophomore Sarah Lucenti (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) chipped in with 31 assists, while senior libero Kathryn Conner (Newport Beach, Calif.) added 19 digs.
Brown raced out to a 10-2 lead in the opening set and finished with a .469 attack percentage, led by Lord with eight kills. Liberty trimmed the deficit to six but could not get closer as the home side cruised to the 1-0 advantage. Liberty held a slim advantage for most of the second set, before the Flames used a 4-0 run to move out in front, 21-14, pave the way for the 25-21 and even the score at one point apiece.
The Bears rebounded in the third set and held a comfortable seven-point lead at 17-10, but the Flames chipped away and pulled within one at 22-21. Brown answered back with consecutive kills to force match point, but the visitors rattled off four straight points to take the third stanza, 26-24.
After Brown opened the fourth set with a six-point edge at 16-10, the Flames retaliated with four unanswered points and eventually pulled even at 19-19. The two teams traded points, before the Flames ended with back-to-back points for the two-point win and match victory.
The Bears return to action tomorrow for the second and final day of competition at the Brown Invitational. Brown will play Central Connecticut State at 3 p.m. and UMass Lowell at 7:30 p.m.
