The William Carey Lady Crusaders concluded the Mighty Banyan VolleyPalooza with a win over Warner University and a loss to host New College of Florida. The team finished the tournament with a 1-1 record, according to school officials.
In their first match, Carey defeated Warner University 3-1. The opening set was competitive, with Warner leading 13-10 midway through. Agnes Hegardt, Alejandra Villarreal, Emily Martin, and Alyssa Portee contributed to a run that gave Carey a 20-14 lead, leading to a 25-16 set victory. The second set was close, but Warner pulled ahead behind a 10-3 run to lead 20-13. Carey fought back but fell 25-21.
The Lady Crusaders responded strongly in the third set, jumping out to a 7-3 lead and extending it to 16-7. Hegardt, Portee, Martin, and Martensson helped Carey secure a 25-18 win. In the final set, Carey took an early 20-10 lead and finished with a 25-13 victory, sealing the match.
Later, Carey faced New College of Florida and lost in four sets. The team overcame an early 9-3 deficit in the first set, with kills from Villarreal and strong net play from Martin, Ziegler, and Stegall helping them rally to a 25-22 win. The second set was tightly contested until New College used a 5-0 run to take control and equalize the match at one set apiece. The Banyans then pulled away in the third and fourth sets, winning 25-17 and 25-11, respectively, to clinch the match.
The Lady Crusaders are scheduled to return to competition August 21-22 at the Life University Invitational in Marietta, Georgia, according to the team’s schedule.
