Trevecca Nazarene University

CLEVELAND, Tenn. – When the Trevecca Nazarene University volleyball team last visited Cleveland to take on Lee University, the Trojans and Flames played a classic five set match. On that evening, Trevecca took a tough 3-2 loss as they watched a lead slip away. On Saturday afternoon, the Trojans were able to seal the deal and take a win in a similar match.

Trevecca (8-8, 5-1 GSC) fought their way to a five set win over the Lee Flames (8-5, 4-2 GSC) 25-16, 19-25, 25-16, 16-25, and 15-13. The win pushed the Trojans past Lee in the standings, and the Trojans remain just a half-game back of the West Alabama Tigers early on in the GSC slate.

SERIES HISTORY

The Flames hold a 23-6 lead in the series in the rally scoring era, though the Trojans have won four of the last six meetings. The Trojans have struggled at Paul Dana Walker Arena in Cleveland, as Saturday marked just the second win all-time for the Trojans in Cleveland, joining a 3-0 victory from September 3, 2022.

MATCH RECAP

Lee took four of the first seven points in the match, but a kill from Brynne Krangnes helped spark a 5-1 Trevecc run that gave the Trojans an 8-5 lead. Kayla Bullard, Emma Schnitzer, and Isabella Sherrod also had kills during the spurt. Lee scrapped their way back to within a point at 13-12but the Trojans answered with another run - this on a 6-1 stretch that opened the Trevecca lead to 19-13. After Lee scored consecutive points to close within three, Trevecca scored the final six points of the set to take the frame 25-16.

The Flames started the second set quickly, as Lee opened an 8-2 lead early. Trevecca clawed their way back to within four on three separate occasions, but late in the set a 5-0 run from the Flames created separation between the teams. A Katilyn Grant kill ignited a 5-0 Trevecca run that also featured an ace from Sherrod and a block from Grant and Bullard, but Lee held off the charge and took the stanza 25-19.

In the third set, the Trojans created the first surge with a 7- run that took a 5-3 Lee advantage and flipped it to a 10-6 Trevecca lead. Grant had a pair of kills and a solo block in that stretch, and a later 6-0 run from the Trojans pushed their lead to 17-10. The Trevecca lead reached as many as 11 at 24-13, and while Lee staved off set point three times, Sherrod found a kill to end the frame with a 25-16 Trevecca win to give the Trojans a 2-1 lead in the match.

Both teams' offenses were in high gear to start the fourth frame, as the first six points were all scored on kills - three for each team. Lee used a 5-0 run to open a 6-3 lead, but the Trojans clawed back level with three straight points to knot the score at six. The match remained tight through the middle stages of the set. With Lee leading 13-12, the Trojans and Flames traded 4-0 runs, and the Flames led 17-16 into a Trevecca timeout. Unfortunately for the Trojans, the timeout did little to squelch the momentum the Flames had built, as they scored eight more consecutive points out of the timeout to take a 25-16 set win to force a decisive fifth set.

Trevecca opened up an 8-3 lead early in the fifth stanza on three kills from Schnitzer and one from Grant, but Lee battled back to square things at 9-9. Grant had three kills and she assisted on a block along with Bullard as the Trojans opened a 14-9 lead, and though Lee scored four in a row to close the gap to 14-13, a service error gave the Trojans the fifth set 15-13, and the match 3-2.

TROJAN HIGHLIGHTS

?      Emma Schnitzer posted her fourth double-double of the season with a team-leading 21 kills and 15 digs. The 21 kills also marked a new career best total for her. Isabella Sherrod and Kayla Bullard also notched double-doubles. Sherrod had 12 kills and 13 digs, while Bullard pounded 10 kills and had 19 digs. Grant added 10 kills as well.

?      Brynne Krangnes recorded her fifth straight double-double with a new career high 47 assists and 12 digs. Krangnes added four kills and a service ace as well.

?      Lilly Vanbebber notched 25 digs in the match, posting her third performance of at least 20 digs this season.

?      Grant participated in a team-best five blocks - two solo and three assisted - while Bullard and Jordan Hunt joined in on three blocks apiece. 

UP NEXT  

Trevecca will return home on Tuesday, October 6, for another key match in the GSC. At 6 p.m., the Trojans welcome the University of Montevallo Falcons (11-5, 4-2 GSC) to the Trojan Fieldhouse.

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