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By: Josh Fuller

GREENWOOD, S.C. – The Columbus State University volleyball team fell 3-1 to Lander (25-21, 22-25, 25-19, 25-22) Friday in Peach Belt Conference action. The match was played at Horne Arena in Greenwood, S.C.
 
Mary McCarty paced CSU (10-7, 2-6 PBC) with 14 kills, her ninth match with double digit kills this season. Megan Frame had 10 kills while hitting .375, making just one error in 24 total attacks. Abby King had 41 assists with 16 digs. Caytlin Merritt had 13 digs with Sabrina Rodgers chipping in with 10 as well.
 
"This was a tough loss," commented head coach Casey Cornett. "I felt like we were in every set, but we have to learn how to close teams out on the road. Give Lander credit for taking advantage of our errors."
 
The match couldn't have started betted for Columbus State as the Lady Cougars raced out to a 5-0 lead. McCarty had a kill in the spurt while also helping out on a block with Kylie Beaubien.
 
Lander (12-4, 4-4) eventually chipped away and tied the match at nine-all before the two sides started to exchange points.
 
With the Lady Cougars up 15-13, the Bearcats went on an impressive 6-0 run to take a 19-15 advantage. CSU wasn't out of it yet as the Lady Cougars responded and tied the match at 21-21 on a King service ace. However, LU won the final four points to take the set 25-21.
 
It was Columbus State who used a big middle of the set rally in set number two to put itself in good positon to tie the match. With Lander holding an early 11-10 lead, CSU won eight of the next 10 points to pull out in front 18-13. Senior Andrea Skipor had two kills and assisted on a block while McCarty also had a pair of kills for the Lady Cougars during the run.
 
Lander made things interesting late once CSU reached set point by winning five straight points, but a kill by Malaisia Stallworth gave Columbus State the 25-22 set win.
 
CSU won the opening point in set three, but that would be the only lead it would hold as Lander would quickly take a 4-1 lead. Down big late, Columbus State would play its best stretch of the set going on a 8-2 run before Lander took the set 25-19.
 
It wasn't a great start to the fourth set as Lander won the opening seven points of the stanza. The Bearcats would hold a 12-6 lead before the Lady Cougars made a comeback. A kill from McCarty started a spurt of four straight CSU points that made it a 12-10 score.
 
Lander pulled back away after three straight points of its own, however, the Lady Cougars responded right back to make it a two-point match again (16-14). 
 
The Bearcats would slowly pull away from there, including winning four straight points to make it 24-17. CSU tried one last comeback, pulling together five straight points before a LU kill ended the match.
 
Columbus State will be back in action Saturday at 1 p.m. against USC Aiken in Aiken, S.C.