HICKORY, N.C. – The Catawba College women's volleyball team competed in a midweek SAC matchup at Lenoir-Rhyne on Tuesday evening and fell 25-18, 25-20, 25-14. 

Catawba got off the a hot start in set one when Rachel Gonzales and Ashley Johnson slammed dow three early kills to help the visitors jump out to a 4-1 lead. Later in the set, Catawba held an 11-8 lead when the momentum shifted. The beats scored five points in a row to climb ahead 13-11. That run proved to be the difference as LR extended their lead to 23-17 later in the set and won buy a final of 25-18. 

The volleyball team hung tough with the Bears in set two with kills from four different players including a pair from Hayes Smith and Gonzales. Midway through the set Catawba trailed 10-9 when the home team rattled off four straight the extend the lead to 14-9. Down 22-13, Catawba showed no quit and cut it to a 22-18 deficit behind five unanswered points. The Bears scored three of the next five points to win, 25-20. 

Set three was all Lenoir-Rhyne after a 3-3 tie quickly moved to an 8-3 deficit. Catawba climbed back once again and cut the score to one point, 10-9, but LR scored seven of the next nine points to go up 17-11. Catawba only scored three points the rest of the way and fell in the third set, 25-14. 

The volleyball team will return to Goodman Gym on Friday to face Lincoln Memorial at 7:00 p.m.