TALLADEGA, Ala. – The Talladega College men's volleyball lost 3-2 (25-16, 16-25, 25-18, 23-25, 10-15) to visiting Warner University tonight. The Tornadoes fall to 3-18 while the Royals are now 6-10.
Talladega took a 6-4 lead in the opening set and was able to push its lead to 14-9 using an 8-5 run. The Royals chipped way to trail 15-12, but the Tornadoes closed out the set on a 10-4 run to win, 25-16.
Warner looked to even things up in the second set as it opened things up with a 7-4 lead. The Tornadoes cut the lead to two using a 3-2 run to make it, 9-7. The Royals broke the set open following a 9-2 run and took an 18-9 lead and from that point, they went on to a 25-16 win to even the match at one.
Both teams went back and forth in set three to find themselves tied at eight. Talladega put together a 10-3 run to take an 18-11 lead. The Royals attempted to get back into it, but Talladega was able to keep them at arm's length and secure a 25-18 win to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
For the second straight set, each team went back and forth only to be tied at 15. The two teams continued this style of play to be knotted at 19, but a service error gave Talladega a 20-19 lead. That lead didn't last long following three straight points for the Royals to take a 22-20 lead. Talladega responded and tied things at 22. Warner answered to go up 23-22, but the Tornadoes tied it at 23 before the Royals won 25-23 to tie the match at two.
Heading into a winner-take-all fifth set, Warner jumped out to a 5-3 lead looking to close things out. Talladega worked its way back into the set to tie things at eight before changing sides on the court. Following the switch, the Royals used a 7-2 run to win the set 15-10 and take the match, 3-2.
Mallik Foreman led Talladega in kills with 11 while tallying five digs in the process. He also finished in a tie for aces with two with
Hugo Marques. Marques registered eight digs also.
Andrea Tognazzo tallied 15 digs while picking up two assists. Teammate
Elijah Foster tallied 26 assists and seven digs.
Ty'Sean Wallace led Talladega in hitting percentage with a .357.
Talladega is back in action on Saturday when it travels to Bristol, Tenn. to face King University at 2 p.m.
