AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Paine College volleyball team lost a hard-fought 3-2 decision to Wesleyan College Tuesday evening.

The Lady Lions are now 1-9 on the season.

In a back-and-forth first set, Paine took an 11-3 lead on a block from Shacari Hardy and Kennedy Williams. The Lady Lions held a 19-15 edge on a kill from Daija Broadnax off a pass from Myah Beasley. However, the visitors slowly pulled even before taking the 25-22 victory.

Paine fought back in the second stanza to knot the score at 2-23 on a block from Najla Betts and Hardy. The opposition managed to record the final two points for the 25-23 win.

Trailing the third set 20-12, Lucette's team made a tremendous comeback. Hardy and Soleil Johnson had kills before Betts got into the action. Hardy notched another kill and moments later it was 20-20. Down 21-20, Hardy tied the score. Johnson put the home team up by one before Myah Beasley sliced the defense with an ace. Two errors by the visitors gave Paine the 25-22 win.

In the 25-17 fourth-set victory, Paine dominated Wesleyan. Leading 11-10, the Lady Lions stretched the margin o 19-13 after a pair of kills from Broadnax. The visitors tried to cut into the deficit only to have a pair of errors end the set.

Wesleyan was able to record the fifth set victory, 15-10.

Head coach Kisha Lucette's team was led by Hardy's 12 kills. Broadnax and Akirah McCrae totaled seven kills apiece.

Beasley dished out 14 assists while Myah Taylor had 11. Defensively, Jordan Fortson totaled 33 digs while Makayla Evans garnered 20. Taylor had 11 digs for a double-double while Demi Mckeever notched 14.

Kennedy Williams, McRae and Hardy had five blocks apiece.  

The Lady Lions return to action Thursday when they travel to Clinton College for a contest starting at 6 p.m.