MONTGOMERY, Ala-- The University of Mobile volleyball team jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Asbury University, but fell 2-3 (25-20, 25-21, 26-28, 22-25, 9-15) on day one of the Faulkner University Invitational Friday.
Mobile (9-6) will face Martin Methodist today at 5:30 pm and then battle a pair of teams tomorrow on the final day of the invite.
Kelly Sherling led Mobile with 20 kills, while Alyson Kovacs added 10 and hit .368. Melody Tenney finished with 9 kills, 26 assists, 15 digs and a pair of blocks, while Kaylee McGrew chipped in 24 assists and 11 digs.
Katy McCollister led with 22 digs, while Disah Kolassiba finished with 5 blocks.
Mobile hit .141 as a team, while Asbury hit .183. Asbury also out blocked the Lady Rams nine to six.
In the opening set, Mobile jumped ahead 5-2 and led the entire way. Asbury pulled within 18-17, but the Lady Rams took five straight points behind the serving of Haley Wiggins to regain control and take the set.
Just like in the opener, the Lady Rams never trailed in the second set. Asbury pulled within 9-8, but Mobile took the next five points, and later the Lady Rams closed out a 22-21 set with three straight points thanks to an ace from Charlotte Stutts.
The third set was back-and-forth early until Mobile grabbed a 22-17 lead late. Asbury rallied with an 8-3 run, including two 3-0 spurts to stay alive and force a fourth set.
Asbury carried that momentum into the fourth set and controlled the game early, building leads of 7-1 and 10-2. Down 20-15, Mobile started to make a move, taking four of five points to make it 21-19. Mobile pulled within 23-22, but Asbury closed it out, before going on to take the final set for the win.