LYNCHBURG, Va. — Akeela Cunningham recorded a match-high 10 kills and 13 digs as Warren Wilson College fell to unbeaten University of Lynchburg in three sets Saturday at Turner Gym.
The host Hornets earned the 25-15, 25-19, 25-8 victory to improve to 8-0. Warren Wilson moved to 0-5. Pandora Keele finished with five kills, eight digs and a team-best .267 hitting percentage for Warren Wilson. Josie McCoy added five kills and six digs. Aria Parish directed the Owls' offense with 16 assists while contributing nine digs and two service aces. Cunningham's 13 digs tied for the match high, while Warren Wilson finished with 41 digs as a team.
The Owls opened the match with energy, scoring the first three points behind a kill by Keele and back-to-back service aces from Parish. Cunningham added a kill to extend the advantage to 5-1 before Lynchburg rallied. The Hornets broke an 8-8 tie with three consecutive points and gradually pulled away to take the opening set.
Warren Wilson delivered its strongest offensive performance in the second set, collecting 12 kills and hitting .235. Cunningham led the effort with seven kills on 14 attacks for a .429 hitting percentage.
A service ace from Kylee Egidi highlighted a 6-0 Warren Wilson run that turned a 7-5 deficit into an 11-7 lead. Cunningham contributed three kills during the stretch and later added another to give the Owls a 13-9 advantage. Lynchburg answered with six straight points and went on to claim the set, despite a late Warren Wilson push that cut the margin to 21-19.
Lynchburg carried its momentum into the third set, hitting .414 while holding the Owls to one kill.
