The Batten University women's volleyball team battled through a back-and-forth five-set match, defeating Lynchburg 3-2 on the road. The Marlins took the match 20-25, 25-21, 25-23, 24-26, 15-13 to improve to 13-3 overall and 3-2 in ODAC play.
Hannah Smith led the Marlins with 21 kills while hitting .315 and added 18 digs. Anna Moody finished with 16 kills on a .314 hitting percentage, while Ava Baker added six kills and four block assists. Niya Nash directed the offense with 38 assists, and Brenna Raymond anchored the back row with 21 digs. Batten finished the night with 11 total blocks and held Lynchburg to a .214 hitting percentage.
Batten came out quickly in the opening set, using an early run behind the serve of Niya Nash to build a 5-1 advantage before stretching the lead to 10-4. Lynchburg slowly chipped away, eventually erasing the deficit with a 5-0 run that tied the set at 13-13. The teams traded points through 17-17 before the Hornets gained control late, using a 4-1 stretch to move ahead 21-18. Batten pulled within one at 21-20, but Lynchburg answered with the final four points to take the opener, 25-20.
The Marlins responded immediately in the second set. Batten turned a 4-2 lead into an 8-2 advantage behind a four-point run and continued to apply pressure, pushing the margin to 15-6. Lynchburg made a late charge after Batten moved ahead 23-14, stringing together five straight points to cut the deficit to four. The Hornets eventually closed within 24-21, but Hannah Smith ended the comeback attempt with a kill to give Batten the 25-21 win and even the match.
Momentum swung back toward Lynchburg early in the third, as the Hornets raced out to leads of 3-0, 7-3 and 10-4. Batten steadily worked its way back, using a 4-0 run to cut the deficit to 12-11 before eventually drawing even at 14-14. The Marlins grabbed their first lead at 16-15, and neither side could create separation from there. Lynchburg briefly moved back in front, 22-21, before Batten responded with three consecutive points, capped by kills from Smith and Anna Moody, to reach set point at 24-22. Moody later finished the set with another kill for the 25-23 victory.
Batten again grabbed the early momentum in the fourth, building a 5-1 lead before Lynchburg fought back to take an 11-10 advantage. The Marlins responded with another surge, breaking a 12-12 tie and eventually running off six consecutive points to take control at 19-13. Batten extended its advantage to 21-14, but Lynchburg refused to go away. The Hornets climbed back within 23-22 before Smith gave the Marlins set point at 24-22. Lynchburg then flipped the set completely, scoring four straight points to steal a 26-24 win and force a decisive fifth set.
Lynchburg carried that momentum into the fifth and opened a 3-0 advantage, but Batten answered. The Marlins scored six of the next seven points to turn the early deficit into a 6-4 lead, with Smith providing two kills during the run. Lynchburg later pulled even at 7-7, but Smith delivered another kill followed by a service ace to put Batten back in front, 9-7. After the Marlins pushed the lead to 11-8, Lynchburg made one final run to tie the set at 11-11. Batten answered with back-to-back points, including a Moody kill, and Smith delivered kills for Batten's final two points to close out the 15-13 victory.
