COLUMBIA, Ky. – The Lindsey Wilson volleyball team celebrated its 2023 senior class in style on Friday evening, sweeping Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) for a second time this season to cap off the regular season.

The Blue Raiders, for a second consecutive match, hit over .300 en route to their second-highest kill total of the season in a three-set decision.

Senior Madison Bidwell struck for a team-high 10 kills, and Ola Wyrzykowska, Elisa Burzio, and Elizabeth Moore each contributed seven. Fellow seniors Natalie Ackermann and Alix Stoermer turned in solid performances as well. The latter of the two finished with five kills, four digs, and two blocks, while Ackermann recorded six digs, a kill, and an assist. Lexie Browning, of the Blue Raiders' junior varsity squad, was also recognized for Senior Day.

Lindsey Wilson got the first point of the day, but the visiting Lions shook it off to go ahead 3-2. A kill by Savanah Pippin swiftly tied things up, sparking a 7-2 run by the hosts to build a 9-5 lead. Freed-Hardeman had an answer to the Blue Raiders' early rallies but never found a way to tie the score or take the lead from that point on. Lindsey Wilson closed on a 6-3 stretch, with an ace from Luiza Goncalves clinching the set, 25-18.

The attack was alive and well for the Blue Raiders to open the middle frame. Each of the home side's first eight points came by means of kills and pushed them to an 8-2 advantage. Despite the Lions stringing together a few points to cut into the lead, a four-point swing to extend the set to 13-4 put Lindsey Wilson in control as the two sides proceeded to trade scores through the end.

In the final set, back-and-forth action got the ball rolling. Then, eventually, a combination of attacking miscues by the Lions gave Lindsey Wilson a three-point cushion. That edge ballooned to a 20-11 Blue Raider lead, but Freed-Hardeman did not go away easily. An 8-4 swing and three different match points fought off by the Lions forced the only Blue Raider timeout of the match. Out of the break, Bidwell laid down her 10th successful attack to silence the opposition for good.

For the third straight contest, Goncalves dished out over at least 30 assists, closing with 38. Defensively, Laura Milori nearly set a personal season-high with 14 digs.

The Blue Raiders conclude the regular season with a 7-5 record in Mid-South play. The official postseason bracket will be released at a later time, but the playoffs begin next weekend in Bowling Green.