Lander's Comeback Bid Falls Short in Five-Set Heartbreaker

Mars Hill MH 9-10,3-7 SAC

Lander Lander 5-10,2-3 Peach Belt

Mars Hill MH

9-10,3-7 SAC

Final

Oct. 06, 2026

Lander Lander

5-10,2-3 Peach Belt

Set Scores
Team	1	2	3	4	5	F
Mars Hill MH	23	25	25	19	15	(3)
Lander Lander	25	20	17	25	11	(2)

Summary
Box Score

Francisco Jauregui

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | 10/6/2026 10:11:00 PM | Hailey Franklin - Assistant Sports Information Director

Lander's Comeback Bid Falls Short in Five-Set Heartbreaker

GREENWOOD - Lander volleyball battled back to force a deciding fifth set Tuesday night, but Mars Hill rallied late to hand the Bearcats a 3-2 non-conference loss inside Finis Horne Arena.

The Bearcats (5-10, 2-3 PBC) took the opening set 25-23 before the Lions (9-10, 3-7 SAC) responded with wins of 25-20 and 25-17. Lander answered with a 25-19 victory in the fourth to force a fifth, where Mars Hill secured the match with a 15-11 win.

Freshman Gracelyn America led the Lander attack with a career-high 13 kills, while Quinn Butler recorded 11 kills and 19 digs for her seventh double-double of the season. Karson Browning added nine kills and a team-high five blocks, while Ryleigh Willard finished with eight kills.

Sam Alwardt turned in a career night defensively, recording a career-high 32 digs. Emma Greenier added a double-double with 31 assists and 16 digs, while Andrea Crawford finished with 15 digs.

Mars Hill built a 12-8 advantage in the opening set before Lander worked its way back and eventually took the lead 15-14. The teams remained close from there, reaching a 23-23 tie before a block from America and Amelia May gave Lander set point. Browning followed with the set-clinching kill for a 25-23 victory.

Lander opened the second with an early 9-6 advantage, but an 8-0 Mars Hill run shifted momentum as the Lions evened the match with a 25-20 victory. Mars Hill carried that momentum into the third, using another extended run to create separation and take the frame 25-17.

Facing a must-win fourth set, Lander responded. The Bearcats erased a 12-7 deficit and eventually took a 17-16 lead on a Sarah VanDaele service ace. Lander continued to pull away down the stretch, with back-to-back Willard kills setting up set point before Olivia Shaw and Willard combined for a block to secure the 25-19 win.

The Bearcats carried the momentum into the fifth and raced out to a 5-1 advantage behind consecutive Willard kills and an America kill. Mars Hill responded, eventually tying the frame at 5-5 before Lander regained a 7-5 advantage. The Lions answered with five straight points and held off the Bearcats down the stretch for the 15-11 victory.

Lander finished the night with 106 digs and 10 blocks in the five-set battle, with four players reaching double figures in digs.

The Bearcats return to Peach Belt Conference play this weekend with a two-match road series at Middle Georgia. Lander, which swept the Knights 3-0 at home earlier this season, opens the series Friday at 6 p.m. before returning Saturday at 3 p.m. in Macon, Ga.

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