NASHVILLE – The Trevecca volleyball team wrapped up their weekend at the Ray Thrasher Classic in the Trojan Fieldhouse on Saturday, and after a tough start to the day, Trevecca bounced back to earn a split on the day.
Trevecca (1-2) opened the second day of the tournament with a three-set (25-21, 25-21, 25-20) loss to Ohio Dominican University (2-1) before the Trojans bounced back with their own sweep (25-15, 25-9, 25-20) of the Shorter University Hawks (1-2).
SERIES HISTORY
With the loss to Ohio Dominican, the all-time series between the former conference foes is tied up at 7-7. ODU had won the last three meetings in that series to match a three-match winning streak for Trevecca that stretched from October 30, 2021 through November 4, 2022.
The Trojans' victory over Shorter came in just the teams' second all-time meeting - and their first in 16 years when both were in the NAIA and they played at Milligan College in northeastern Tennessee as a part of a tournament hosted by the Buffaloes.
ODU MATCH RECAP
The teams had a difficult time creating separation early in set one. The lead changed hands four times in the opening 22 points of the match, and with Trevecca trailing 11-8, the Trojans battled back to draw even at 11 with three straight points. After two straight points from ODU pushed them ahead 13-11, Trevecca ripped off another three consecutive tallies to re-claim the lead at 14-13. Moments later, though, ODU rattled off five scores in a row to turn a 16-15 Trevecca lead into a 20-16 advantage for the Panthers. Trevecca was not able to get closer than two points in the remainder of the set, as ODU took the win, 25-21.
Trevecca scored eight of the first 15 points in the second stanza, but a 7-3 run from ODU gave the Panthers a 14-11 lead. The Trojans did not stop battling, though, as four stretches of at least two straight points helped Trevecca claw their way level at 21 apiece late in the set. A service error, though, prevented Trevecca from taking the lead back, and it ignited a 4-0 run for the Panthers that closed the set with a 25-21 win for ODU.
In the third frame, ODU sprinted out to a 6-1 lead early, but a 6-1 run from the Trojans knotted things at 7-7. The match remained close for the next 10 points, but with the score tied at 12, the Panthers pulled in front for good with another 6-1 spurt that gave them an 18-13 lead. A 3-0 run that included a pair of kills from
Katilyn Grant and one from
Emma Schnitzer got Trevecca within two at 22-20, but the Trojans suffered three straight attack errors to end the set as ODU took the set 25-20, and the match 3-0.
TROJAN HIGHLIGHTS - ODU
·
Katilyn Grant led the Trojans offense with nine kills,
Megan Ellis added seven, and
Emma Schnitzer added six.
·
Brynne Krangnes dished out 23 assists in the match, and she added five digs, a kill, and a block.
· Lilly Van Bebber was the only Trojan to reach double figures in digs, as she notched an even 10.
· Trevecca notched eight blocks in the match, led by
Jordan Hunt's five and four from
Megan Ellis.
SHORTER MATCH RECAP
In the Trojans' final match of the weekend, Trevecca came out on a mission.
Brynne Krangnes earned kills on the first two points of the match,
Kayla Bullard added a kill and an ace, and
Emma Schnitzer tallied a scoring sewing, as Trevecca opened the match on a 6-0 run. Shorter pulled to within four at 7-3, but another run from Trevecca - this one a 6-1 spurt - helped the Trojans push the lead to 13-4, and for the rest of the set, the Trojans managed the gap on their way to a 25-15 set win.
The start in the second set was even better for Trevecca. The Trojans got kills from Grant, Schnitzer, and Hunt, as well as aces from
Charlee Young and Krangnes as a part of a 14-3 run to start the set. Vanbebber and Schnitzer added aces later in the frame, and the Trojans cruised home with a 25-9 set win.
Bullard, Grant, Schnitzer, and Krangnes notched kills on the first four points of the third stanza, as the Trojans opened a 6-2 lead, but Shorter answered with a 5-0 run - aided by four Trevecca errors - to take a 7-6 lead. From there, though, it was all Trevecca. An immediate 7-0 Trojans' run gave Trevecca the lead back with breathing room, and Trevecca cruised in with the 25-20 set win that completed the sweep.
TROJAN HIGHLIGHTS - SHORTER
·
Katilyn Grant paced the Trojans offense with 10 kills,
Emma Schnitzer pitched in nine,
Jordan Hunt notched eight, and
Kayla Bullard added seven.
·
Brynne Krangnes handed out 29 assists in the match, and she also had five digs, six kills, and a block.
· Lilly Van Bebber was again the only Trojan to reach double figures in digs, as she recorded 10, while Schnitzer chipped in nine.
· Trevecca ripped a whopping 13 aces in the match
RAY THRASHER CLASSIC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Each team in the Classic had one player named to the All-Tournament Team.
Ohio Dominican - Chloe Gels
Christian Brothers - Sophia Nowacki
Alabama-Huntsville - Cooper Garrett
TREVECCA - Kayla Bullard
Shorter - Caroline Sivills
Lincoln Memorial - Jazmine Starks
UP NEXT
Trevecca will head south over the Labor Day Weekend to take part in the University of Alabama-Hunstville Invitational. Trevecca will battle the Harding University (Ark.) Lady Bisons (4-0) and the Mars Hill University (N.C.) Lions (3-1) on Friday, before they wrap up the weekend with a tilt against the Spring Hill College (Ala.) Badgers (0-2).
