COLUMBIA, Ky. – At the Biggers Sports Center, the Lindsey Wilson volleyball team survived its first five-set test of the 2022 season, defeating Freed-Hardeman University in dramatic fashion to improve to 2-1 in conference play.

After the visitors snuck out an opening set victory, the Blue Raiders responded with back-to-back set wins before the Lions forced a deciding-fifth frame. In that tiebreaker, the home side dropped nine kills behind a 0.300 attack percentage to pull away and clinch the match.

Four different locals finished in double-figures in kills, including junior Alix Stoermer with a season-best 17. Elsewhere for Lindsey Wilson, senior Camryn Rich tallied season-highs in assists and digs, closing with 50 and 21, respectively to record her seventh double-double of this campaign, and Aleksandra Wyrzkowska came just one successful attack shy of her first career double-double, concluding the night with 12 digs and nine kills.

The Blue Raiders posted the evening's first three points in the first set, but Freed-Hardeman never let the deficit grow any larger as they pushed back with a 15-12 advantage to knot the score. After the two sides proceeded to trade jabs at one another, the Lions ultimately gained some breathing room to take the frame, 25-22.

In the following set, the visitors fell into trouble with a series of early errors, and with kills from Elizabeth Moore and Stoermer, the locals found themselves on a 7-1 run to move ahead 8-4. Then, despite allowing the Lions to level the set at 9-9, the Raiders switched on the afterburners to score 12 of the next 16 points and run away with the second set, 25-16.

The two sides played a fairly even third set, with only a seven-point swing by Freed-Hardeman separating them from back-and-forth action. Even with that stretch, however, the Lions could not fend off Lindsey Wilson up 22-19. Behind consecutive strikes by Stoermer and a third hit from Wyrzkowska, the hosts mounted back to draw even at 22-22, eventually taking advantage of a pair of Freed-Hardeman attack miscues to take the set, 26-24.

The visiting Lions controlled the early stages of the next set, building a lead of as many as seven points to help them force the tiebreaker.

Once the contest got rolling in the fifth frame, it did not take long for the Blue Raiders to orchestrate a four-point run, highlighted by two kills from Madison Bidwell, to jump in front 6-3. Freed-Hardeman did not go away that easily, nevertheless, pulling back to within one of their opponent's lead, but nothing more. Another string of strong attacks by Bidwell made up two of the Raiders' final three points, giving them a 15-10 deciding-set victory to clinch the match.

As a team, Lindsey Wilson produced nine service aces, eight total blocks, and 65 total kills. The Blue Raiders were also perfect on set attempts, compared to the Lions' finishing 49-for-58 with nine set errors.

The busy weekend continues for the locals as they return to the Biggers Sports Center to host Bethel University on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. CST.