NASHVILLE – The Trevecca Nazarene University volleyball team (10-15, 7-7 GSC) lost to Christian Brothers University (7-17, 3-11 GSC) in Trojan Fieldhouse on Tuesday evening.
The Buccaneers took down the Trojans in five sets, winning, 21-25, 25-20, 29-27, 24-26, 15-13.
THE SERIES
The Buccaneers hold a 53-6 all-time series lead and leveled the Division II era series to 4-4 by splitting the season series with the Trojans.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first set saw nine lead changes from the opening stages through the midway point. The difference came with a 5-0 run by the Trojans who turned a 13-13 tie into a 17-13 lead. From there, CBU pulled to within three at 22-19 and 24-21, but
Reese Payne helped TNU to the opener, 25-21, with a kill.
The second set favored Trevecca early on before a 6-3 run by the Buccaneers gave the visitors their first lead of the set at 10-9. The Trojans last led in the second at 11-10 which was thwarted by a 6-1 run by CBU for a 16-12 advantage. Trevecca countered and pulled within one at 21-20, but the Buccaneers rattled off the final four points to win the set, 25-20.
The third set was the longest of the night and by far the closet contested. Neither side got more than a three-point advantage throughout. In the late stages, the Trojans had three set points, but could not finish off CBU who took it, 29-27.
The Buccaneers built off their third set momentum by building an early 4-2 lead in the fourth. Trevecca's first lead of the fourth came at 6-5 before CBU's 4-1 run gave the visitors a 9-7 advantage. The Trojans tied it at 10-10 but the Buccaneers offense rolled from there, taking a building a 16-12 lead and then an 22-18 lead. Trevecca narrowed the gap to one point on six different occasions before dramatically cracking through, scoring the final five points of the set. Trailing 24-21, Trevecca fended off three match points, the Trojans forced a fifth set, 26-24. The rally was fueled by the serve of freshman Bella Sherrod. She came on to produce three aces over the final four points of set.
Sherrod now has 18 aces on the year, ten of those are against Christian Brothers. She had five aces in the first meeting in Memphis and another five tonight.
The fifth teetered back and forth the whole way. Things seemed to right itself for the Trojans when they turned a 9-8 deficit into a 12-10 lead, but the Buccaneers rallied for five of the final six points to take the set and match, 15-13.
THE TEAM
Trevecca collectively hit .271 which was one point better than CBU with 64 kills and 58 assists. Both sides collected 10 service aces and had 10 reception errors while it was the Buccaneers with more digs, 58-55.
THE PLAYERS
Emma Titus produced a team-high 16 kills on 36 total attacks for a .306 hitting percentage.
Addison Cunnagin (15) and
Mackenzie O'Loughlin (12) also touched double digit kill totals with
Reese Payne adding nine kills and two blocks with a team-best .643 hitting percentage.
Sherrod equaled her career-high in digs as well as with her five aces.
Skias Hainline produced a career-high 52 assists.
Cunnigan had a career-high 15 kills, three blocks, and three block assists.
UP NEXT
The Trojans welcome Mississippi College (12-10, 10-4 GSC) on Friday, November 1 at 6:00 p.m.
The all-time series tie was broken by MC with its four-set win over Trevecca on October 6. The Choctaws lead 3-2 all-time. Before the Trojans joined the GSC, the Choctaws won the last meeting in 1992, Trevecca won the first-ever meeting in 1989.
