NASHVILLE – The Trevecca Nazarene University women's volleyball team (21-7, 15-4 GSC) opened their final regular season weekend Friday evening at the Trojan Fieldhouse by hosting the Valdosta State University Blazers (12-16, 11-8 GSC). Trevecca entered play with revenge on their mind after a tough five-set loss in Valdosta in the seasons first meeting, and Trevecca avenged that defeat in four sets. Trevecca also got help from the University of Montevallo, who beat the University of Alabama in Huntsville. The combination of results clinched the second seed in the upcoming Gulf South Conference Championships for the Trojans.
 
SERIES HISTORY 
The win is the first in series history for the Trojans against the Blazers, who took both meetings a season ago on the initial meeting this season. 
 
MATCH RECAP
Valdosta State started the first set strong, as the Blazers built an early 6-3 lead. Trevecca, though, kept things close through the middle portion of the set, when the Trojans went on a big run. Trevecca rattled off seven straight points that included two kills from Emma Schnitzer and an ace from Addison Cunnagin, and that stretch helped Trevecca open a 16-12 lead. A 7-1 Blazers' run gave VSU the lead back at 18-17, but with the Trojans trailing 20-19, Schnitzer and Cunnagin combined to spark a 5-1 Trojans' run, and Cunnagin pounded a pair of kills to end the set with a 25-22 Trojan victory.

The second frame was tightly contested throughout as well. VSU again took an early lead, as they built an 8-5 lead, but again Trevecca put together a run to take the lead in set. This time, TNU scored with kills from Schnitzer and Cunnagin, as well as an ace from Isabella Sherrod, to take a 14-12 lead. This time, though, it was VSU who won the key points at the end of the set, and VSU took the win 25-23 to level the match at one set apiece.

VSU started set number three on a 4-0 run before Reese Payne got the Trojans on the board. The kill from Payne sparked a 5-2 spurt that included a pair of scoring swings from Katilyn Grant as well, and the match remained close through the middle stages of the frame. VSU inched out to a small 2-point lead at 20-18, but the Trojans answered the challenge. Trevecca scored the final seven points of the stanza to take the set 25-20, and that rally swung the momentum to the Trojans as Trevecca took a 2-1 lead.

It was Trevecca who took the early lead in the fourth and final frame. Grant supplied a kill and an ace as a part of a 5-1 run that helped Trevecca open a 7-4 lead. Moments later, Skias Hainline served a three point spurt for Trevecca that included an ace from Hainline, and the Trojans inched out to a 10-6 lead. The Blazers closed the gap to 15-13, but a quick run of four straight points helped Trevecca seize control late in the stanza. VSU managed to pull within three late at 21-18, but Trevecca won four of the final six rallies to take the set 25-20, and the match 3-1.

Entering the final day of the regular season, the Championship picture has started to come into focus. While the Trevecca win and UAH loss clinched the Trojans the second seed in GSC Championship - and with it, a double-bye in the GSC Championship - The University of West Florida locked up the regular season title with a win over Lee University. While that means the Trojans cannot improve their seeding with a win on Saturday, a victory would help them in the region rankings, which will come into play when determining a potential at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
 
TROJAN HIGHLIGHTS

• Katilyn Grant led the Trojans with 18 kills and hit .395 in the patch. Addison Cunnagin (11) and Emma Schnitzer (10) also reached double-figures for the Trojans
• Skias Hainline handed out 37 assists, and with one match to go in the regular season, she figures to surpass her single-season career-best for assists which she set last year with 1,075. She currently has 1,070 assists on the season, and 2,356 career assists. If the Trojans can make a deep run in the postseason, she has an outside chance to reach the career mark of 2,678 held by Loren Bennett.
• Lilly Vanbebber led the Trojans with 23 digs in the match, and Isabella Sherrod (19) and Kayla Bullard (14) also reached double digits.

UP NEXT  
Trevecca will wrap up the 2025 regular season on Saturday, November 15, at the Trojan Fieldhouse. Trevecca will look to avenge an earlier loss to the University of West Florida (24-5, 17-2 GSC) on Saturday. Saturday's action will begin at 1 p.m.