Box Score

RALEIGH, NC – The Livingstone volleyball team fell Tuesday evening 3-1 (18-25, 13-25, 28-26, 21-25) to the St. Augustine's Falcons in CIAA action.

Seniors Michelle Thompson and Lashaundra Ferguson led the Blue Bears, each tallying 12 kills in the four-game match.  Fellow senior Shannon Allen also added 30 assists and nine digs, both team highs.

In the first set the Blue Bears fell behind early.  Despite the early deficit, the Blue Bears trailed only 11-9 after the first 20 points, but couldn't get any closer.  St. Augustine's quickly increased its lead to 15-10.  Late in the first set the Falcons led 19-12, but the Blue Bears mounted a charge and got back within two at 19-17, but that's where the comeback stopped and St. Augustine's took the first set 25-18.

St. Augustine's dominated the second set from the beginning and errors killed any chance the Blue Bears had.  The Falcons jumped out to a quick 5-1 lead, extending it to 10-3 and taking the second set 25-13.  Livingstone struggled, totaling only five kills and 11 errors in the second set.

The Falcons looked primed to finish off the Blue Bears in straight sets after they got out to a 4-0 lead, but Livingstone wasn't going quietly.  The Blue Bears took their first lead of the match at 9-8 and the two teams battled it out through the rest of the third set.  Late in the third stanza the Falcons led 23-21, but Livingstone took the next three points to lead 24-23 and have set point.  The Falcons staved off the set loss twice and held their own set point at 26-25, but a service error gave Livingstone the momentum back to take the next two points to win the second set 28-26.

Livingstone jumped out to the early lead in the fourth set and after the first 20 points, the teams were all square at 10-10.  The lead went back and forth between the two teams and they were still deadlocked at 18-18.  St. Augustine's held strong late in the fourth set and took the final set 25-21 and the match 3-1.

With the loss the Blue Bears fell to 9-9 overall, 5-6 in the CIAA and 1-3 in the division while St. Augustine's improved to 13-6 overall, 10-2 in the conference and 5-0 in the southern division.

The Blue Bears will return to the court Friday inside New Trent Gym when they host the Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls at 6 p.m.