Eagles start '08 season in win column

August 29, 2008

Daytona, Fla. – Faulkner University’s volleyball team started their 2008 season on the right note with a win over Baker University at the Homewood Suites Invitational hosted by Embry-Riddle in Florida. The Eagles got out to a slow start and dropped game one 25-15. The team rebounded in games two and three 29-27 and 25-17, but fell back in game four 25-18. Faulkner was able to push through in the final game 15-5 to start the year at 1-0.

     “We played well when we needed to,” said head coach Tori Bartels. “It was a good opening match for us that tested some of our weaknesses. We should probably have won in four games, but Baker is a solid team with excellent passing and they played us well.”

     Junior middle Kimber Holt and freshman outside hitter Neysa Hernandez led the offense with 11 kills each and Hernandez backed up her net play with three service aces. Senior libero Holly Hutcheson finished the match with 26 digs and junior setter Shaleen Knight added 10 more along with 15 assists and an ace.

     Freshman outside hitter Abbie Melvin contributed six kills and junior right side hitter LaTanya Daniels contributed five more.

     Day one of the two-day tournament has been full of surprises for the team. Family members all the way from Puerto Rico traveled to Daytona to watch Hernandez play in her first college game. She was more than surprised and the emotional freshman put on quite a performance in her debut. Daniels received her share of attention as well when she brought the game to an unexpected stop. The junior transfer inadvertently broke a defenders nose with a kill in her first match as an Eagle.

     “We were not even in game one,” Bartels said when asked about Faulkner’s rocky start. “That happens with a younger team at the beginning of the season. We’re finally through the first one and now it’s time to go to work.”

     The Eagles will face host school Embry-Riddle at 1:30 p.m. CST in the final match of the day. Play will resume tomorrow in bracket match-ups with game times yet to be determined.