ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – the Trevecca Nazarene University volleyball team (1-4) is in the Sunshine State this week, playing in the Flagler College Saints Classic. Trevecca fell to the host Flagler Saints (3-2), 3-1 (17-25, 25-23, 13-25, 14-25), out of the Peach Belt Conference to open play on Friday.

In the second match, a late afternoon tilt with Belmont Abbey College (1-4) out of the Conference Carolinas, the Trojans won 3-1 (21-25, 25-17, 25-17, 25-18) at the Flagler Gym.

THE SERIES
This is the first meeting for Trevecca volleyball with Flagler College, Belmont Abbey College, and Central Oklahoma University. Embry-Riddle University defeated Trevecca in their only previous meeting, back in 2015, in Nashville at Trojan Fieldhouse. The Eagles knocked off the Trojans 3-1 (25-21, 25-20, 23-25, 25-14) in the Scott Jones Classic.

HOW IT HAPPENED
FLAGLER

Trevecca opened the first set with a 7-2 run, forcing the Saints into an early timeout.

Trevecca didn't trail until Flagler edged ahead 12-11. The set remained close until the Saints pulled ahead 22-14 and held off the Trojans the rest of the way.

Trevecca held an early 4-2 advantage in set two. The teams swapped the lead a total of five times and were tied ten times. Neither team could gain more than a two-point advantage until Flagler pulled ahead 21-18. It looked like the Saints were headed to a 2-0 set led. TNU didn't wilt, instead with the Saints firmly in charge at 23-20, the Trojans scored five straight to take the set, leveling the match at 1-1.

Trevecca led 2-0 in the third, but never led again over the final two sets as the Saints rolled in the third fourth for the 3-1 victory.

BELMONT ABBEY

The Crusaders opened the match with a 9-1 start to the first set and looked to be on their way to an easy win in the opening frame. The Trojans picked away at the lead and came within two at 23-21, but Belmont closed out the first set win 25-21.

In the second set. Neither team owned more than a two-point advantage until Trevecca led 16-12. Trevecca pushed the lead out to five, eventually taking the set 25-18 to even the match at 1-1.

In the third set, the teams remained tight until Trevecca broke a 7-7 tie with a 12-4 run that gave them an eight-point (19-11) lead. The Trojans took a 2-1 lead with the 25-17 win.

In the match deciding fourth, Trevecca jumped out to a five point (9-4) lead, but the Crusaders, in a must-win situation, cut into the TNU advantage and trailed by one (16-15) a little more than halfway through the set. Trevecca put the set and match away with a 10-3 run, for a 24-17 advantage, before taking the set 25-18.

THE TEAM
FLAGLER

Trevecca's best set, the second, featured an attack percentage of .267, 17 kills, five errors, and 45 attacks. The Trojans hit .159 for the match and had two services aces, both in the first set. The Saints peaked with a .481 hitting percentage in the third and nearly matched that with a .429 clip in the fourth.

BELMONT ABBEY

Trevecca hit .467 in the second set, with 15 kills on 30 attacks and only one error. In the fourth set, Trevecca hit .292 and for the match, the Trojans hit .315. Trevecca had six service aces and 17 blocks.

THE PLAYERS
FLAGLER

Josie Hill led the way in kills, with a career-high 16, hitting .536 for the match. The junior had just one error in 28 attacks. Setter Skias Hainline produced a double-double with 34 assists and 11 digs. Maddie Wilds led the team in digs with 12 and added a service ace and three kills.

BELMONT ABBEY

Emma Titus led three Trojans with double-figure kills. Titus had 14 while Reese Payne had 11 and Makenzie O'Loughlin had 10. Lily Vanbebber had 15 digs. O'Loughlin led the team with seven blocks.

UP NEXT
Trevecca stays in the Sunshine State for the second day of the Flagler Saints taking on Embry-Riddle (3-1) at 2:00 PM and Central Oklahoma University (7-0) at 6:00 PM on Saturday in St. Augustine, Florida. TNU is 0-1 vs Embry-Riddle, falling in their only meeting in 2015. It is the first meeting for Central Oklahoma and Trevecca in volleyball.

Trevecca heads to Winter Park, Florida next weekend for the Rollins College Invitational Sept. 20-21. On Friday, Trevecca faces Southern Connecticut State University (0-4) at 9:00 AM and No. 25 Lynn University (4-0) at 3:30 PM. Trevecca leads the series with Lynn, 1-0, edging the then No. 25 Fighting Knights 3-2 in the 2023 Thrasher Classic. Lynn went on to reach the region finals with a 26-8 mark. On Saturday, the team faces Millersville University (4-1) at 10:30 AM and Rollins College (4-0) at 6:00 PM.

Then it's on to Gulf South play for the first time in school history when Trevecca visits old conference rival Union University (0-5) on Tuesday, September 24 at 6:00 PM in Jackson, Tennessee. The first GSC meeting with UU is the tenth meeting since both schools moved to NCAA Division II play in 2012. TNU owns a 5-4 edge in the D2 era. The teams played 31 times in the NAIA era with the Bulldogs owning a 21-10 advantage.

Trevecca's first home GSC game is Friday, Sept. 27 when the Univ. of Montevallo (0-5) visits Trojan Fieldhouse for a 6:00 PM match. The Falcons have a 3-1 edge in the series, Alabama Huntsville (4-0) is next in another GSC home match at 1:00 PM on Saturday, Sept. 28. The Chargers lead the all-time series 21-5, including. UAH has an 11-3 edge during the D2 era, but the series is 2-2 over the last four meetings.
 

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