Winston-Salem, N.C.-- Cumberland men's volleyball had a mixed result at their tri-match hosted by Carolina University. The Phoenix had a strong start to the afternoon with a 4-1 win over Carolina, but ultimately fell in their last match against Reinhardt. 

Vs. Carolina

Jacob Whyte was an unstoppable force at the net in Cumberland's first match of the day, picking up a new career-high of 20 kills on .548% attacking. Caleb Ginnings led all players with 14 digs, while Sam Mannebach and Adian Heuer split setting responsibilities, totaling 23 and 22 assists, respectively.

Cumberland's dominance in the first set was established early on by Louis Aeko's opening kill, setting the tone for their offensive dominance. They furthered their lead with strategic tips and roll shots.

A 5-1 scoring streak, during which Joseph Aeko bounced back-to-back swings from the middle, extended Cumberland's lead to five points, prompting Carolina to call their first timeout.

The break did little to disrupt Cumberland's momentum, as Mannebach immediately scored with a deep corner shot and a tool swing, securing a 14-8 lead.
Carolina failed to score consecutive points throughout the set until Austin Jeter's kill initiated a brief three-point streak, reducing the deficit to four at 17-13. However, Cumberland responded with a three-point run of their own to reassert their control.

Cumberland held onto their advantage for the rest of the set, ultimately securing a 25-19 win. They collectively achieved a .522% hitting percentage with 15 kills and only three errors.

In set two, Cumberland faced a tougher challenge from Carolina's attackers, who began to find their rhythm. Despite starting with a series of kills, the Phoenix found themselves trailing as the Bruins went on a 10-2 run to take a six-point lead.

Struggling to build momentum, Mannechbach ignited the Phoenix with a crucial solo block. This play, followed by a quick swing from Joseph Aeko, sparked an 8-2 run for CU, tying the score at 19-19 and setting the stage for an exciting finish.

The teams exchanged errors in the final stretch, leading to tie scores at 23-23 and 24-24. Carolina's attackers struck at just the right moment, securing two consecutive kills to win the set 26-24.

The Phoenix dominated the early points of set three, establishing a 6-2 lead with a combination of kills and aces. The Bruins' attackers struggled to find openings on Cumberland's well-defended floor, prompting them to call a timeout at 11-6.

The timeout disrupted Cumberland's momentum, and capitalizing on their attacking and serving errors, Carolina leveled the score at 13-13. The teams remained closely matched in the second half of the set, exchanging kills until the Phoenix broke the pattern with a three-point run, taking a 19-17 lead.

The final stretch mirrored the set's beginning, with Cumberland's attackers excelling and the Bruins' struggling to score. With double the number of kills and .250% attacking, the Phoenix surged ahead to a 25-20 victory.

The Phoenix carried their energy into set four, with Luka Ilic serving for six consecutive points to secure an early lead, which they defended throughout the set. 

Despite both teams giving strong offensive performances, the Bruins struggled to mount any significant scoring streaks throughout. 

With minimal attacking errors, the Phoenix dominated the set and clinched their second win of the season with a decisive 25-21 victory.


Vs. Reinhardt

Whyte continues to add to his impressive resume, tallying 14 kills against the Eagles for a total of 34 on the day. Luka Ilic chipped in seven kills and five digs, while Ginnings finished with six digs.

The Eagles started set one strong, earning five straight and aggressively earned points. Despite a serving error that gave the Phoenix a chance to narrow the gap, they quickly returned the favor, allowing Reinhardt to extend their lead.

As the score stood at 10-6 against them, Cumberland intensified their blocking efforts, with Kaden Keuhler putting away two consecutive, cutting the margin to just two points.

While their blocking was effective, the Phoenix struggled to find their offensive rhythm to match Reinhardt's intensity. Two errors from the Phoenix allowed Reinhardt to go on another solid run, giving them a commanding 17-10 lead.

The Eagles closed out the set with a 7-1 run, capitalizing on four points from Cumberland errors at the net, securing a comfortable 25-14 victory.

The Phoenix turned things around in the second set, with attackers performing significantly better. 

This time, it was Reinhardts' side that was haunted by errors, allowing the Phoenix to go on a 7-1 scoring run to establish a solid lead early on.

Cumberland maintained this lead for the rest of the set, finishing with an impressive .583 team attacking percentage and just one mishit. While the Eagles matched Cumberland's kill count, they were held back by six errors, leading to Cumberland's decisive 25-12 win.

Despite their strong comeback in set two, the Phoenix struggled at the beginning of the third frame, failing to earn their first point as Reinhardt raced to an 8-0 lead.

Once the Phoenix attackers found their form, supported by Ginnings' impressive defensive efforts, they mounted a 7-2 run to reduce the deficit to four points. They fought aggressively to fully recover, but Reinhardt's front row posed a challenge with nearly flawless swings.

The Eagles concluded the set with five straight points, four of which came from kills, and they claimed the game's advantage with a 25-15 score.
All six of Reinhardt's first points in the fourth frame were from kills, challenging Cumberland's back row with sharp cross-court shots. 

Trailing 7-4, Illic sparked some momentum in the Phoenix with a massive solo block, a catalyst for a 6-3 run that evened out the score at 10-10. 
The team were neck-and-neck until four consecutive Phoenix errors from multiple areas on the court gave the Eagles an 16-12 edge.

In the final stretch, the Phoenix fired on all cylinders, securing kills from all three front-row options and going on several two-point runs to narrow the gap to just two at 22-20. 

Despite their efforts, the Eagles maintained their lead, reaching game point on a serving error and ultimately sealing the match with a decisive swing for a 25-20 victory.

The Phoenix face a quick turnaround for another tri-match tomorrow, this time hosted by Rio Grande. They will first face Rio Grande at 11 AM CT, followed by a match against Warren Wilson College at 2 PM CT.