Trojans fall short against Morehead State despite competitive performance

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Little Rock fell to Morehead State in four sets on Friday at the Jack Stephens Center, with scores of 26-28, 24-26, 25-21, and 17-25. Little Rock (11-12, 6-5 OVC) recorded nine service aces and matched the Eagles (17-5, 11-0) with 75 digs in the tightly contested matchup.
 
Sophia Garrido led Little Rock with 16 kills, setting a new single-game personal best, surpassing her previous high of 12 set just two weeks ago at Southern Indiana. She also contributed two blocks, finishing with 17 points. Andrea Roman was effective defensively, recording 18 digs and adding six assists. Dariana Valencia facilitated the offense with 32 assists while also collecting 16 digs. A'lanae Margaritha excelled in serving, tallying four aces and adding four total blocks to her performance.
 
"I thought we were very competitive tonight ... we led late in each of the first two sets, but just couldn't close them out. We have to do a better job of finishing tomorrow, but the girls fought hard. I'm very pleased with Sophia's performance ... she was a force for our offense and has been playing the best volleyball of her career these last two weeks." – Little Rock head coach Van Compton
 
The first set started with Little Rock initially trailing as the Eagles took an early lead, reaching a 3-0 advantage. Little Rock responded with a series of pivotal plays, highlighted by two consecutive service aces from Margaritha, which were part of a larger 6-point run that shifted the momentum to Little Rock, giving them a 9-4 lead. As the Eagles narrowed the gap, Little Rock maintained its edge with key contributions, such as a kill by Jaycee Kennedy from Kaylee Smith, pushing the score to 16-11. Despite their efforts, Little Rock faced a late challenge from the Eagles, who tied the score at 23-23, and eventually overcame Little Rock's resistance. 
 
In the second set, Little Rock saw a series of strong plays by Garrido and Crismeyli Rodriguez, each delivering key kills to keep the score tight against the Eagles. Despite falling behind early, Little Rock managed to pull ahead 20-15 with a series of successful plays, including a service ace by Bella Cherry and kills by Vivian Lucumi and Rodriguez. However, the Eagles responded with a late surge, led by M.E. Hargan's crucial kills, ultimately overcoming Little Rock's efforts. 
 
Little Rock surged at the start of the third set with Valencia's service ace followed by a kill from Margaritha, setting an early tone. The Trojans maintained momentum with key contributions from Garrido and Cherry, building a lead despite the Eagles' attempts to close the gap. As the set progressed, Rodriguez and Garrido added crucial points, with assists from Valencia and Smith. The Eagles mounted a late challenge, reducing the deficit to 19-20, but Little Rock responded with a decisive run that included a service ace from Roman. 
 
Little Rock opened the fourth set with momentum, securing an early lead with a kill by Rodriguez and a service ace by Margaritha, moving ahead 4-1. Despite this promising start, the Eagles quickly leveled the score at 4-4, fueled by a block and a subsequent service ace. The teams traded points, with Cherry and Lucumi contributing key kills to keep Little Rock competitive and close at 9-9. However, the Eagles capitalized on a series of Little Rock attack errors and a string of service aces by Tinsley Brown, pulling ahead to a 17-11 advantage. Kennedy's offensive efforts, including several kills, helped Little Rock attempt a comeback, closing the gap slightly. Nevertheless, the Eagles maintained their lead, with Hollan Everett delivering decisive kills. 
 
Little Rock and Morehead State wrap up the series tomorrow with the first serve scheduled for 12:00 pm at the Jack Stephens Center.