DAYTON, Tenn. – Bryan College put up a valiant fight before falling to Truett McConnell 3-2 (20-25, 25-14, 21-25, 25-17, 11-15) on Saturday afternoon.

Despite the loss, the Lions showed considerable fight throughout the match, winning two sets and pushing the Bears to a decisive fifth set. Bryan College's attack efficiency of .200 actually topped Truett McConnell's .193 mark, demonstrating the competitive nature of the contest.

Outside hitter Shelby Kelly delivered an outstanding performance for the Lions, hammering down a match-high 20 kills on 49 attacks with a .306 hitting percentage. Her 21.5 points led all Bryan scorers in the five-set marathon.

Bella Beard provided excellent support in the middle, recording 11 kills while hitting .269 with two block assists. Lindquist added seven kills, while Maddison Seabolt chipped in eight kills and three block assists.

Bryan's back row was busy all match, with the Lions out-digging Truett McConnell 74-60. Freshman Kaci Wade led the offense with 22 assists and chipped in 14 digs, while Kelly added 17 digs to complement her offensive production. Elise Brew contributed 14 digs in another strong defensive effort. At the service line, Brew led the way with four aces, helping Bryan to eight total service aces in the match.

The Lions showed their resilience by bouncing back from a first-set loss to dominate the second set 25-14, posting a stellar .323 hitting percentage. After dropping set three, Bryan forced a fifth set with a convincing 25-17 victory in the fourth frame.
Maya Gipson distributed 20 assists while adding nine digs.

Bryan College (2-21, 1-6) will look to build on the positive aspects of this competitive performance as they continue Appalachian Athletic Conference play. They will hit the road next week to take on Union Commonwealth University on Tuesday.