Paragould, AR – The Stephens College volleyball team traveled to Paragould, Arkansas, on Saturday, October 3, for a pair of conference matchups against Columbia College and Crowley's Ridge College. The Stars faced tough competition throughout the day, falling in straight sets to Columbia before battling Crowley's Ridge in a four-set contest. Stephens concluded the day with a 5-13 overall record and a 3-4 mark in conference play.
Match One: Stars 0, Cougars 3
The Stars opened the day against Columbia College, falling in straight sets (11-25, 16-25, 13-25).
Columbia established control early in the opening set, recording 16 kills on a .455 hitting percentage to secure a 25-11 victory. Stephens struggled to find its offensive rhythm, finishing the set with seven kills.
The Stars showed improvement in the second set, increasing their offensive production to eight kills while hitting .094. Despite the improvement, Columbia maintained its offensive momentum, recording another 16 kills to claim the set 25-16 and take a 2-0 advantage.
Stephens continued to battle in the third set, which featured three ties, but Columbia's consistent offensive attack proved difficult to overcome. The Cougars secured a 25-13 victory to complete the sweep.
Jocelyn Rios led the Stars offensively with eight kills, while Anna Bradley and Michalina Oles each contributed five. Bradley recorded a .286 hitting percentage and added a solo block, providing an efficient offensive performance for Stephens.
Freshman setter Audrey Dinwiddie directed the offense with 17 assists, while Danika Brase led the defensive effort with 12 digs and a service ace. Sabrina Rodriguez followed with nine digs, and Alanis Francelino contributed five.
As a team, Stephens finished with 20 kills, 18 assists, 41 digs and two service aces.
Match Two: Stars 1, Pioneers 3
Stephens returned to the court later in the evening to face Crowley's Ridge College, delivering a more competitive performance before falling in four sets (20-25, 24-26, 25-20, 20-25).
The Stars opened the match with 13 kills in the first set but struggled with attacking errors, allowing Crowley's Ridge to take a 25-20 victory.
The second set featured a tightly contested battle, with 10 ties and three lead changes as both teams fought for control. Stephens remained within striking distance throughout the frame but narrowly fell 26-24, giving Crowley's Ridge a 2-0 lead.
Facing a two-set deficit, the Stars responded with their strongest offensive performance of the match in the third set. Stephens recorded 15 kills on a .170 hitting percentage while holding Crowley's Ridge to a .111 hitting percentage. The Stars secured a 25-20 victory to extend the match.
Stephens continued to improve its offensive efficiency in the fourth set, hitting .206 with 12 kills. However, Crowley's Ridge answered with 15 kills on a .333 hitting percentage to claim the set 25-20 and secure the 3-1 victory.
Oles led the Stephens offense with a match-high 17 kills, adding a service ace and one block assist to finish with 18.5 points. Rios followed with 13 kills, one solo block and one block assist, while Mercedes Britto contributed eight kills on an efficient .300 hitting percentage.
Kayla Peckham provided a strong offensive contribution off the bench, recording four kills on nine attempts without an attacking error for a .444 hitting percentage.
Dinwiddie directed the offense with 41 assists while adding 16 digs and two block assists. Defensively, Brase led the Stars with 20 digs, followed by Rodriguez with 17 and Francelino with 15. Francelino also contributed two service aces.
As a team, Stephens finished with 50 kills, 45 assists, 82 digs, four service aces and six total blocks. Despite the loss, the Stars demonstrated improved offensive production and defensive consistency throughout the four-set contest.
