HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Saturday's contest for the Trevecca Nazarene University volleyball team started as a close quarters battle. The Trojans and Spring Hill College (Ala.) Badgers split the first two sets of their match, but as the match wore on, the Trojans faltered, and the Badgers took advantage.
Trevecca (2-4) was unable to close out a third set victory, and in the fourth set, Spring Hill (1-4) used an early 10-0 run to take control on their way to the 3-1 win (25-17, 21-25, 25-20, 25-21).
SERIES HISTORY
The match was the fourth all-time between SHC and Trevecca, and only the second one to go beyond three sets. Trevecca is now 3-1 all-time against the Badgers.
MATCH RECAP
A 4-1 run early in the first set helped the Badgers to take a 5-3 lead, and SHC then stretched their lead to 9-4 with four straight points. Back-to-back kills from Kayla Bullard ignited a 5-0 spurt from the Trojans that helped them surge in front 10-9. But with Trevecca leading 12-10, Spring Hill ran off seven straight points to claim a 17-12 lead late in the frame. Trevecca clawed back to within three, but SHC answered with another 5-0 run that helped put the set away, as the Badgers took the opening set 25-17.
Trevecca slowly built a lead early in the second set. The Trojans pieced together a 7-4 lead, and after a point from SHC, TNU got back-to-back kills from Bullard and Emma Schnitzer that sparked a 4-0 spurt that pushed the lead to 11-5. SHC battled to get back within striking distance, and they benefitted from four straight Trevecca miscues late in the set to tie the score at 20-20. Trevecca, though, regrouped and scored five of the final six points in the set, highlighted by two kills from Schnitzer, to take the set 25-21 and square the match at a set apiece.
Trevecca won four of the first six points in the third stanza, but a 4-0 run from SHC helped the Badgers take an 11-7 lead. Trevecca answered with a 7-1 run that pushed the Trojans in front 14-12, with five of the seven Trevecca points coming off Spring Hill Errors - though one of those errors was also a block from Bullard and
Katilyn Grant. The set went back-and-forth as it wound down, but late in the stanza, the Trojans allowed a 6-1 run that gave Spring Hill the lead, 22-19. The Trojans struggled to pass late in the frame, and the Badgers took advantage as they took the set 25-20 to take a 2-1 lead.
The Trojans scored first in the fourth frame, but it was Spring Hill that took an early lead. Four straight Trevecca attack errors gave the Badgers a 6-2 lead, That was a part of a 10-0 Spring Hill run that turned a 2-2 tie into a 12-2 Badgers' lead. Trevecca used a 9-1 run to cut the deficit to 14-12, and the Trojans drew level at 17-17 and 18-18. The Trojans, though, were unable to take the lead, and the Badgers took the set 25-21 and the match 3-1.
TROJAN HIGHLIGHTS
- Brynne Krangnes dished out 29 assists in the match, and she narrowly missed a double-double with nine digs, and two kills.
- Along with Schnitzer, Lilly Van Bebber (18) and Isabella Sherrod (10) also reached double figures in digs.
UP NEXT
The Trojans will have one final pre-conference tournament as they prepare for their third season in the always difficult Gulf South Conference. Trevecca will head south to the Atlantic coast of Florida to take part in the Bash at the Beach in Boca Raton and West Palm Beach. On Friday, September 11, Trevecca will take on Nova Southeastern (5-1) and Lynn University (3-1), and on Saturday Trevecca will battle Palm Beach Atlantic (4-2).
MORE ABOUT THE TREVECCA TROJANS
#PurpleReigns #DefendTheHill
