PINEVILLE, La. – The Louisiana College volleyball team honored its seniors prior to the first match of the season to be played inside of H.O. West Fieldhouse, but the home gym, the festivities of the occasion, and 16 service aces didn't lead to the desired result as the Wildcats dropped the match to the Jarvis Christian Bulldogs 3-2 (23-25, 25-18, 25-14, 17-25, 9-15) Saturday afternoon.
 
A six-point run with Paris Babino on the serve seemed to give the Wildcats some good momentum during the first set. That momentum pushed LC out to a five-point lead as a service ace by Abby Revell gave the Wildcats a 19-14 lead. However, Jarvis would score seven of the next nine point to tie the score at 21-21. LC got the next two to draw closer to the set win, but a Bulldog timeout spurred JCC to get the four points in a row they needed to take the set.
 
The second set saw the roles reversed as it was Jarvis Christian that jumped out to a five-point lead at 13-8 and saw LC claw its way slowly back closer until a service ace by Sadi Jones tied the match at 16-16. The Bulldogs scored the next two to retake the advantage, but then a service error by Jarvis put Jaslyn Bright on the serve and she never left as LC finished the set on a 9-0 run, which included three service aces, to take the set at 25-18 and even the match at 1-1.
 
LC rode that momentum into the third set as the Wildcats jumped all over the Bulldogs, immediately getting out to a 7-1 lead on a kill by Kierra Jones. The Bulldogs did narrow the gap to three points twice, but the Wildcats opened up the lead again thanks to another 7-1 run that included several blocks involving Sadi Jones, Jaslyn Bright, & Kierra Jones to open a 20-11 lead and cruise to the set win at 25-14, and a 2-1 lead in the match.
 
The Wildcats looked set to end the match in four as LC jumped out to a quick 6-2 lead in the fourth set, but Jarvis answered with a six-point run to take the lead. LC got back out in front at 9-8 off a kill by Michelle Iroh, and then again at 10-9 thanks to a Kierra Jones kill. However, Jarvis answered with the next four point and would not lose the lead again. A Kacey Lyon kill got LC back to within a point at 18-17, but Jarvis Christian scored the next six to close the set and force the decisive fifth set.
 
That fifth set started very back-and-forth as both teams traded points with LC tying it at 6-6 off a kill by Kate Campbell. But that's where the set soured for the Wildcats as the Bulldogs ran off the next five points to open an 11-6 lead in the race to 15 points. Two kills by Abby Revell tried to pull LC back into the match, but Jarvis went on to close out the match at 15-9.
 
Sadi Jones led the LC offense with 13 kills and five service aces. On the defensive side, she had six digs and was credited with two block assists. Abby Revell finished the match with 11 kills, a service ace, and a did. Jaslyn Bright notched a double-double with 10 kills and 12 digs to go with three service aces. Paris Babino tallied 34 assists, eight digs, and two service aces.
 
The Wildcats (1-7, 1-4 RRAC) look to close out the home portion of their schedule on the right foot on Saturday as Texas College comes to town for a match. Opening serve of the home finale against the Steers (0-4, 0-4 RRAC) is set for 1:00 P.M. at H.O. West Fieldhouse.