Livingston, Ala. --Â The Lady Hawks outlasted West Alabama, 3-2, to stay perfect on the season in five-set matches and to complete the season sweep of the Tigers.
Shorter improves to 20-6 on the season and 15-3 in the Gulf South Conference; while West Alabama goes to 17-14 overall and 9-9 in the GSC.
The Tigers proved to be a tough opponent as they led in every set, forcing the Lady Hawks to work for any advantage.Â
Shorter took the first set 27-25 after using a late run to tie the set at 20, and pulling ahead 24-22. Only to have West Alabama came back and took the lead 25-24. The Lady Hawks then rallied for the sets final three points for the win.Â
The Tigers tied the match in the second set, with a 25-19 win, leading by as many as four multiple times during the frame.Â
Shorter then regained the advantage in the match with a 25-19 win of their own in set three; using a 6-0 run with the set tied at 16 to pull ahead and secure the win.Â
It was all UWA in the fourth set, as they handed the Lady Hawks a 25-11 loss to force the deciding set. Where Shorter took a 4-2 lead, only to have the Tigers rally for four straight points to make it a 6-4 game. The Lady Hawks answered with a kill from Elizabeth Dowd, but the Tigers followed with two more points to switch the court. Once play resumed after trading sides, the Lady Hawks used a 5-0 run to make it a 10-8 game, and added to with a two more after a kill from UWA for the 12-9 score. The Tigers added three to tie game, forcing a Shorter timeout. But, after the break the Lady Hawks answered with the matches final three points for the 15-12 win in the set, and a 3-2 win for the match.Â
Tiffani Estep lead Shorter with 13 kills for the night; while Dowd added 12 and Kelsi Jones chipped in with 11. Cheyenne Frady recorded a team high 29 assists, to go along with 14 from Alli Bell. Dowd also added two service aces on the night.
On defense, Dowd led the effort with 22 digs. While, Cheyenne McLemore added 18 and both Frady and Morgan Cleveland tallied 14. Shorter finished with nine total blocks with Hannah Flack turning a team high four - two solo and two assisted. Jones finished with three for the night.
The Lady Hawks will close out the regular season at home Thursday, November 10, against longtime rival Lee and Saturday, November 12, against GSC newcomer, Mississippi College.
