SALISBURY, NC – The Livingstone volleyball team wrapped up their conference schedule Thursday with a five-set victory of the Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls.
With the victory, the Blue Bears improved to 12-9 overall, 7-8 in the conference and 3-7 in the Western Division. Johnson C. Smith fell to 3-24 overall, 2-12 in the conference and 0-9 in the division.
Johnson C. Smith got out to an early 3-0 lead in the first game, but the Blue Bears battled back to take four-straight points to go up 4-3. Livingstone continued to hold their lead at 10-8, but the Bulls regained an edge at 13-12. The Blue Bears came back to take a 17-14 lead, but relinquished it quickly and the match was tied at 19-19. Livingstone out-willed the Golden Bulls to finish the game and took the first game 25-22.
The Golden Bulls again took an early lead in the second game at 2-0, but Livingstone took five-straight points to go up 5-2. The Blue Bears increased their lead to four at 9-5, but Johnson C. Smith fought back to square the game at 10-10. With the game tied at 14-14, the Golden Bulls took four points to go up 18-14 Livingstone took five of the next six points to square the game at 19-19 and then took a 21-19 lead, but couldn’t hold it. Johnson C. Smith took the second game 25-22.
Livingstone was able to jump out to the early lead in the third game, but couldn’t hold it. Livingstone quickly gave up the lead and the Golden Bulls led 10-5. Livingstone cut that lead to 12-10 and even further at 16-15. The Golden Bulls increased the lead up to 21-17 and held off a late charge from the Blue Bears to take the third game 25-22.
The Blue Bears trailed briefly early in the fourth game, but quickly overtook the Golden Bulls. Trailing 3-2, the Blue Bears took eight of the next nine points to go up 10-4. Their lead remained at five at 13-8, but Johnson C. Smith took five-straight points to square the game at 13-13. The game was still tied at 15-15 before Livingstone took four points in a row to go up 19-15 and they held on to take the fourth game 25-16.
The match came down to the pivotal fifth game and Livingstone came out hot. With the game tied at 6-6, Alexis Flagler stepped to the service line and served eight-straight points go up 14-6. Livingstone held on to take the fifth game 15-8.
Livingstone was led by two double-digit killers. Lashaundra Ferguson tallied 17 kills while Michelle Thompson totaled 16 kills. The Blue Bears as a team had 54 kills, 37 assists, 61 digs and eight team blocks.
The Blue Bears will host Paine College Friday night at 6 p.m.