The Selma Lady Saints started the day with a win, but ended with a loss during their tri-match at home against a pair of area opponents on Thursday.

The Lady Saints defeated the Greenville Lady Tigers 3-0 (25-10, 25-15, 25-19), but fell 3-0 (23-25, 22-25, 16-25) to the Sumter Central Lady Jaguars, dropping them to 3-2 in the area and handing the area title to Sumter.

Winston Williams, head volleyball coach of Selma High School, said the Lady Saints will look to correct their mistakes when they travel to the Lady Jaguars for the area tournament.

“We played short a captain and a best player. We knew it was going to be difficult and they’re a good team,” Williams said. “We played them last time in their place and they won, but we went to five [sets]. Part of it was the commotion and us not being able to practice when we want to, the moving around with the new school. They win the area and we’ll go up there to play in the area tournament, and I think we’ll be them. We know how to beat them. The mistakes with the tipping and things, but we’ll correct that.”

The Lady Saints narrowly dropped the first two sets against the Lady Jaguars and fell behind 5-16 in the third set.

Selma capitalized off Sumter’s mistakes and got kills from J’Tia White and Arianna Childers to help cut the score to 16-23, but the Lady Jaguars held them off in the set.

White had six kills in the match, while Childers had two kills and three service aces, and Candace Moore had two kills.

The Lady Saints dominated their first match against Greenville, winning in three sets.

T’Keyah Harris led the way in the match with four kills and two blocks, while Moore had three kills and Childers had three aces.

The Lady Saints will take the court again Thursday at home against Demopolis starting at 5 p.m.