NASHVILLE – The fourth annual Ray Thrasher Volleyball Classic kicked off with the Trevecca Nazarene University volleyball team (0-1) falling to Davenport University (1-1) in five sets on Friday in Trojan Fieldhouse.
THE SERIES
Tonight was the first-ever meeting between the Trojans and Panthers in women's volleyball.
RAY THRASHER CLASSIC RECORD/HISTORY
| YEAR |
SCHOOL |
SCORE |
RESULT/RECORD |
| 2021 |
Christian Brothers |
3-2 |
Win, 1-0 |
| 2021 |
Erskine |
3-0 |
Win, 2-0 |
| 2021 |
Arkansas-Monticello |
3-2 |
Win, 3-0 |
| 2021 |
Union |
3-0 |
Win, 4-0 |
| 2022 |
Christian Brothers |
3-0 |
Win, 5-0 |
| 2022 |
Carson-Newman |
3-2 |
Win, 6-0 |
| 2022 |
Lincoln-Memorial |
3-0 |
Win, 7-0 |
| 2022 |
Alabama-Huntsville |
3-0 |
Win, 8-0 |
| 2023 |
Univ. of Missouri-St. Louis |
3-0 |
Loss, 8-1 |
| 2023 |
Carson-Newman |
3-0 |
Win, 9-1 |
| 2023 |
Lynn University |
3-2 |
Win, 10-1 |
| 2023 |
Bemidji State Univ. |
3-1 |
Loss, 10-2 |
| 2024 |
Davenport |
3-2 |
Loss, 10-3 |
| 2024 |
Anderson (SC) |
|
|
| 2024 |
Quincy |
|
|
HOW IT HAPPENED
Despite the first five points of the season going to the Panthers, the Trojans stayed resilient early.
Mackenzie O'Loughlin secured the first kill of the night for Trevecca who settled into the match down 9-5. As part of an 8-1 extended run the Trojans captured their first lead of the night and caused Davenport to call a timeout. After the break, the Panthers pulled within a point of tying on four occasions but were forced into burning their second timeout after back-to-back errors gave Trevecca a three point cushion. Trevecca allowed just two points out of the second break of the set and took the opener, 25-20.
The early stages of set two was more closely contested.
Emma Titus earned the first point of the set for the Trojans after consecutive attack errors yielded a pair of points. In fact, six of Trevecca's first 10 points in the second were gifted off Davenport errors. Both sides traded points until the Panthers held a 20-19 lead. From there, the visitors attacked their way to tying the match, 25-20.
The third started off similar to the first, with Davenport taking not only the opening five points, but instead the first nine. Head coach Emily Moore used her first timeout of the set, trailing 5-0.
Reese Payne's kill got Trevecca on the board who came all the way back to tie the set three times at 21, 22 and 23 before the Panthers took the set, 25-23.
After dropping the opening two points of the fourth, the Trojans held a two-point lead for much of the early parts of the set. Davenport tied the set at 14 and at 18 before threatening to end the match in four. Trailing 21-19, a ill-timed bad set gave the Trojans the break they needed. With the Panthers up 23-21, Trevecca forced a fifth set by closing on a 7-2 run to win, 27-25.
An attack error gave Trevecca the first point of the fifth and while kills from both
Mackenzie O'Loughlin and
Addison Cunnagin gave the Trojans a 4-3 early lead, it was the last they would enjoy. With the set tied at 5-5, a 6-1 run fueled by four kills gave the Panthers a comfortable 11-6 lead which they did not relinquish, winning 15-11.
THE TEAM
Trevecca hit .131 for the match with 47 kills, 43 assists, 11 service aces and 81 digs. The Trojans produced 13 total blocks and had no ball handling errors.
THE PLAYERS
Mackenzie O'Loughlin and
Emma Titus led the Trojans with 12 kills apiece while Titus collected a team-high 18 digs. O'Loughlin hit .391 for the match (12 K /3 E/ 23 TA).
UP NEXT
The Trojans finish up the Thrasher Classic with a pair of games tomorrow against Anderson University (0-2) at 2:00 p.m. and Quincy (2-0) in the final event of the tournament at 7:00 p.m.
The Anderson Trojans got the better of the Trevecca Trojans in the school's first-ever meeting a season ago, a three-set match.
The Trojans and Hawks have met three times, most recently in 2022, with Quincy taking all three matches. The first meeting in 2016, the Trojans pushed the Hawks to a decisive fifth set.
