NASHVILLE – The Trevecca Nazarene University volleyball team (10-3, 4-0 GSC) remained in a tie for first in the Gulf South with a 3-1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-20, 25-17) win over the Lee University Flames (5-8, 1-3 GSC) on Tuesday night at Trojan Fieldhouse.
Series History
With the win, the Flames edge in the NCAA D2 era drops to 6-4. The Trojans have won three of the last four meetings, but the Flames own the NCAA D2 era advantage 6-4. Including the NAIA era, the Flames advantage in the series is now 42-10 edge in the series. The teams first played volleyball in 1989.
Senior Reese Payne made more Trevecca history, breaking the NCAA D2 era record for career blocks. Payne already owns the game and season record, but eclipsed Persephonie Devereaux's longstanding record of 266 career blocks in the first set.
Match Recap
Trevecca opened the match like they finished their win at UAH on Saturday, clicking on all cylinders. The Trojans scored the first four points before the Flames got settled in. The Flames fought back to get to within one point at 7-6. Trevecca pulled away again to take a 16-8 lead that was capped off by Reese Paynes record breaking 267th career block. The Trojans cruised the rest of the way to the 25-14 set win.
Trevecca gained some separation midway through the second set after a back and forth early second set. Trevecca, up 21-18, appeared to be in position for a 2-0 set lead, but the Flames roared back, closing the set on a 7-2 run to level the match at one set apiece.
Lee continued to thrive, opening the third set with an 8-5 lead. The first set Trojans returned, rolling off a 11-2 run to go up 16-10. After the Flames cut the Trojan lead to two (19-17), TNU secured the 2-1 set lead, finishing the set with a 6-3 run.
The Flames, in a must win scenario, opened the fourth set up 3-1. Trevecca scored 16 of the next 20 points, building a 17-7 lead. The Trojans coasted in for the 25-17 win.
Trojan Highlights
· Trevecca smashed .429 in the first set and .471 in the fourth.
· The team hit .350 for the match.
· Mackenzie Martin led three Trojans with double digit kills with16.
· Katilyn Grant, the GSC Player of the Week added 13 kills and it .524.
· Addison Cunnagin had 14 kills, hit .387, and four aces, five digs, and two blocks.
· Skias Hainline had a double-double with 42 assists and 13 digs. She added four blocks and thre aces.
UP NEXT
The GSC Preseason No. 10 West Alabama Tigers (6-5, 2-2 GSC) opens the October slate when they visit Trojan Fieldhouse on Friday, Oct. 3 at 6:00 PM. Trevecca took both meetings in 2024, the only two games between the schools in volleyball.
Preseason No. 4 Mississippi College (7-7, 4-0 GSC) faces the Trojans on the Hill at 1:00 PM on Saturday, Oct. 4. The two teams split the regular season series last year, but the Choctaws won the rubber match in the GSC Championships. They now lead the all-time series 2-1.
Next, the Trojans hit the road for two matches, first a second meeting with the Union University Bulldogs at Fred Delay Gym in Jackson (10/7 – 6 PM). The Trojans swept Union to open the GSC season on Sept. 23 at Trojan Fieldhouse.
Then, the Trojans visit Alabama again, this time in Montgomery against the AUM Warhawks in the AUM Athletics Complex (10/11 – 2 PM).
The first meeting of the year with Christian Brothers University follows at Trojan Fieldhouse on October 14 at 6 PM.
The longest road trip of the year comes next. First, a trip to Valdosta State University at 5 PM on Oct. 17. The next day, Oct. 18, the Trojans play at preseason favorite University of West Florida at 2 PM.
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