NEW YORK – A strong night by first-year Pierce Woodall, who finished with a career-high 24 kills, helped Columbia Volleyball (11-10, 4-7 IVY) maintain a high level of energy, but it was not enough as the Brown Bears (13-8, 5-6 IVY) outlasted the Lions, 3-1, in a four-set battle on Friday night at Levien Gym.
 
Woodall's 24 kills were the most by a first year since senior Chichi Ikwuazom, then a first year herself, recorded 21 kills in 2016.  Speaking of Ikwuazom, she finished with 18 kills as she added to her single-season kills record, but the Bears were able to out-hit the Lions, .342-to-.300, helping Brown come away with the victory.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: The first set would be the only set that Brown can say they controlled from start to finish, as when the score hit 11-8 in favor of the Bears, Brown went on a run and eventually lead 17-12, forcing the Lions to take a timeout.  But, in what would become a vision of the future, the Lions did get within 21-19 late in the set, powered by Woodall, first-year Kiara Robichaud and Ikwuazom recording kills during a strong few points by the Lions.  Unfortunately, a timeout called by Brown calmed the Bears down and they would score four of the final five points in the set to take the first set, 25-20, and a 1-0 lead heading into the second set.
 
In the second set, the trend of coming down to the end, began to take shape and from the start both sides began to trade leads, as during the set things would tie up 13 different times.  Midway through, Columbia held onto the lead, and late in the set the Lions held an 18-15 lead, powered by Woodall's six kills during the set.  But it was down the stretch that Brown would catch and pass the Lions, with the score tying up one final time at 22-22, before the Bears would score the final three points and take the set 25-22 and a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
Facing a possible sweep the Lions came out of the gate in the third set on a mission, jumping on the Bears 10-4, with Woodall racking three kills during the stretch, exploding with energy every time and almost bringing the house down.  Brown responded by getting right back into the thick of things over the heart of the set, and it was over the final 17 points decided that the fight of the Lions really showed.
 
Holding a 21-20 lead following a timeout, the Lions quickly smacked a few kills, two by Ikwuazom, and another kill from Woodall put the Lions at 24-22 and on set point.  Brown then responded by tying it up at 24-24, and from there the Lions would have set point three times, including the final point, while having to fight off a pair of Brown set points, but a powerful kill from Robichaud put the final score of the third set at 30-28 in favor of the Lions and the match moved into a fourth set.
 
During the fourth set, the Lions looked to again come out and take control of the set early, taking a 10-6 lead over the first 16 points decided.  But the Bears would come back again, and tie things up at 15-15 shortly after Columbia's hot start, and the score would bounce back-and-forth for the remainder of the set.  Regrettably for Columbia, Brown would find what they needed to pull out the win, taking three of the final five points decided to take the set, 25-23, and the match 3-1.
 
GAME NOTES: Ikwuazom now sits 13th on the Ivy League single-season kills records list ... Woodall's .367 hitting percentage was a career-high ... Junior Audrey Cheng now has 2,171 career assists, having finished with 49 tonight, and she now sits third on the Columbia all-time career assists list ... The Lions' 30-28 third set win was the second time this season that they have won a set 30-28, the first coming in the second set against Fordham on Sept. 19.
 
UP NEXT: The Lions will play one final home game of the 2019 season on Saturday, Nov. 9, where the Lions will honor seniors Grace Campbell, Rose Compton, Kalie Wood and Ikwuazom, with the ceremony set to start at Levien Gym at 5 p.m.
 
FOLLOWING THE LIONS: Stay up to date on all things Columbia Volleyball by following the Lions on Twitter (@CUVB), Instagram (@columbiawvb) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).