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By: Stephen Williams

COLUMBUS – After taking the opening set, the Columbus State University volleyball team lost 3-1 (24-26, 25-21, 25-20, 25-12) against Armstrong State on Friday night. The Peach Belt Conference match was played inside the Lumpkin Center.
 
Megan Frame finished with 16 kills to lead the way for the Lady Cougars. Cori Ehmen turned in 33 assists and Caytlin Merritt paced the defense with 17 digs.
 
"I appreciate the way that the girls battled tonight," said CSU head coach Casey Cornett. "We made a lot of controlled errors though and were a little bit sloppy at times."
 
Columbus State (4-23, 1-14 PBC) turned in one of its best sets of the season in the match's opening game. Late in the opening set, the Lady Cougars found themselves down 22-16.
 
Andrea Skipor put down one of her seven kills to bring the serve back to the Lady Cougars. The kill started a run of five straight points for CSU to get back within one at 22-21. Frame and Payten Joy each had kills and Kylie Beaubien picked up a service ace.
 
After an Armstrong State (15-8, 11-4) point, Skipor again recorded a kill to give serve back to CSU. An error from the Pirates tied the set at 23 and Frame gave CSU a 24-23 lead with another strike. ASU tied it up at 24, but back-to-back kills from Frame put the first set in CSU's favor.
 
Columbus State used a 6-1 run midway through the second game to take a 14-10 lead. Frame was rolling again for the Lady Cougars picking up three straight points on a block and a pair of kills.
 
Armstrong State would steady the ship though, winning 10 of the next 13 points to open up a three-point margin at 20-17 and force a CSU timeout. The Lady Cougars got back within one twice down the stretch, but the Pirates wrapped it up with a service ace and tied the match.
 
The third set was once again tight with Armstrong State holding a 14-13 lead halfway through. The Lady Cougars then reeled off five straight points, four on the serve of Joy, to lead 18-14.
 
ASU answered back with five straight of their own and seven of the next eight to move in front by a pair. After a kill from Abby King, the Pirates tallied four straight to close out set three.
 
The fourth was all Armstrong State after a six-all tie. The Pirates scored 19 of the match's final 25 points to pick up the victory.
 
Columbus State will close out the home portion of its schedule on Saturday with a match against Flagler. The match will be played in the Columbus State Student Recreation Center with first serve scheduled for 3 p.m.