(NEW ORLEANS, LA) -- Day one of the Big Easy Blastoff hosted by Xavier University of Louisiana didn't go as planned for the Lions as they started the tournament 0-2, Friday, August 30. 

Game 1 Recap: FMU 2, PU 3

The Lions took on Point University to start the day and right away FMU was in for a tough matchup. In the first set the Skyhawks scored the first point of the game but the Lions answered back with two straight points off a kill from freshman Biancaliz Cruz and an attacking error from their opponent. PU scored the next three points to take a 4-2 lead over FMU before committing two attacking errors that eventually tied the game. 

Point took another 10-6 lead from the Lions due to errors, but Florida Memorial would once against tie the game at 15. Back-to-back points from both teams made this a competitive set but eventually the Skyhawks would win 25-21. 

In the second set the Lions took a 4-1 lead to start what would be a spark for FMU. A couple of kills from Cruz, senior Yulianna Charris and junior Daphinie Correa allowed the Lions to take the second set 25-17. The Lions would also win the third set 25-20, to take a 2-1 lead over the Skyhawks. 

The fourth set went in favor of PU who started off with a 10-1 advantage over FMU. They defeated the Lions 25-18 to head into the fifth and final set of the game. The deciding set was back-and-forth kills and errors from both teams but in the end the Skyhawks took the win 15-13. 

The Lions had three player finish in double-digits in kills. Correa led the way with 14, Charris had 13 and Cruz finished with 12. Cruz also added seven aces in the mix. Defensively, Correa finished with six blocks while senior Ivana Maric and junior Sammyra Albarran each had four. Junior Keisha Santana collected 21 digs while Charris added 13. Junior Francheska Rivera finished with 37 assists and 13 digs. 

FMU falls to 2-3 while PU increases their record to 3-4. 

Game 2 Recap: FMU 1, ITU 3

Indiana Tech took the first set 25-18 over Florida Memorial. The Warriors only out-killed the Lions 13-12 but it was the six extra errors on FMU that put the competition over the edge. The Lions played a tough second set and after six different lead changes FMU was able to come away with the 25-23 victory. Sets three and four went in favor of the Warriors 25-20 and 26-24 respectively.

In the fourth set the Lions fought back from a 7-2 deficit to tie the game at 8-8. Lion errors gave the lead back to the Warriors but a kill, ace and opponent error put them back in the lead 12-11. 

With the game tied at 23, the Florida Memorial saw victory after an attacking error from the other side point that at game point. The same player that put them in the lead brought her team back in as the running with back to back kills. Leading 25-24, and attacking error from FMU was the deciding point for the match. 

Correa had a career-high 20 kills in the match. She also added four blocks to the equation. Charris finished with 14 kills and two aces while junior Sammyra Albarran finished with six kills and three aces. 

Freshman Adriana Soto finished with two blocks and four kills. Santana had a team-high 29 digs and added two assists. Setter Rivera had a game-high 44 assists while contributing four kills and 11 digs. 

FMU had 52 kills n the match compared to ITU's 45. They also out numbered their opponent in errors 36-21.

The Lions now stand at 2-4 while ITU increases their record to 5-1. 

The Lions continue play in the Big Easy Blastoff on Saturday, August 31 with matches against University of Mobile and host Xavier (La.) at 3 pm ET and 7 pm ET, respectively.

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