Like Columbus State Athletics on Facebook!
Tweet #GoCSU

By: Josh Fuller

COLUMBUS – In a match that came down to the last point, the Columbus State University volleyball team fell in heartbreaking fashion 3-2 (21-25, 25-22, 14-25, 26-24, 16-14) to Flagler Friday night. The match took place inside the Lumpkin Center.
 
Mary McCarty had 20 kills while hitting .306 in the match. Zoemy Barreto Pereira had 16 kills while Megan Frame and Kylie Beaubien chipped in nine and eight, respectively. Abby King recorded another double-double with 45 assists and a career high 24 digs to go along with five kills and three aces. Caytlin Merritt had 29 digs, the third-most in a match in CSU history.
 
"This was a tough loss to take," said CSU head coach Casey Cornett. "I felt like we had our chances to put this match away, but give Flagler credit for fighting on the road.
 
"We are playing well and we can't get discouraged after this match. We need to take this as a learning experience and continue to improve each and every day."
 
In the first set, Flagler went ahead 8-6 before four straight CSU points put the Lady Cougars in front. Kills by Barreto Pereira and King put Columbus State in front 10-8.
 
Flagler (7-4, 3-0 PBC) eventually retook a 12-11 lead until another Lady Cougar run. A FC service error started a string of five straight points and six of the next seven to give Columbus State a 17-13 advantage.
 
Flagler had one last run in them cutting CSU's margin down to one (21-20) before Columbus State capped off the set winning four of the final five points. Beaubien had the set-clinching kill.
 
Set two started out tight until Flagler broke away. Up 11-8, the Saints won four consecutive points to take a 15-8 lead. The lead eventually ballooned to 20-11 until a furious Lady Cougar comeback.
 
Columbus State (9-5, 2-4) won the next eight points to pull within 20-19. Beaubien had the hot hand serving during the run while the Lady Cougars collected three blocks.
 
The score would stay within striking distance for CSU until Flagler got a kill and a CSU error to finish the set.
 
The third set was all Columbus State as the Lady Cougars won the first four points and never looked back. The lead was extended to 13-4 after three more points for CSU. Frame had back-to-back kills and teamed up with King for a block to fuel the spurt.
 
King upped the lead to 18-8 after consecutive aces that eventually put the set away. The Lady Cougars took the set 25-14 to go up 2-1.
 
The early portion of the fourth set was very tight as neither team could break away. A kill for McCarty put the Lady Cougars up 10-9 and CSU looked to be building momentum. Columbus State won seven of the next 10 points to go in front 17-12.
 
The lead was at 19-15 before Flagler made its comeback. The Saints won three straight points to pull within one (19-18) before CSU broke the run.
 
However, Flagler came right back with three straight points of its own to go up 22-21. CSU was able to get the lead back after kills from Barreto Pereira and McCarty. The Saints finished the set strong winning four of the final five points to take the prolonged set 26-24 and force a fifth and deciding set.
 
Columbus State faced early adversity in the fifth set falling down 7-4. However, CSU won three consecutive points to tie the match. King added another kill while Barreto Pereira also slammed one home.
 
CSU never led again though, tying the score on a few occasions, including at 14. However, Flagler got two kills to end the match.
 
As a team, CSU hit .193, including .300 in set two. The Lady Cougars also added seven services aces.

Columbus State will continue its home conference weekend with a Saturday afternoon contest against Armstrong State. First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m. inside the Lumpkin Center.