BOWLING GREEN, Ky.-- The Cumberland men's volleyball season ends in a semifinals loss to Campbellsville at the Mid-South Conference tournament. 

The match saw a back-and-forth exchange of set wins, highlighting the struggle for consistency on both sides.

Jacob Whyte led all attackers with 19 kills, supported by Luka Ilic with nine kills and Austin Smalley with seven kills and five blocks. Caleb Ginnings made crucial saves throughout the match, totaling ten digs in his final performance as a Phoenix.

In the first set, Campbellsville struggled early, committing four consecutive errors at a 2-2 tie, allowing Cumberland to take an early lead. The Phoenix extended their lead to nine point victory, finishing the set with 12 kills and holding Campbellsville to -.083% attacking.

In the second set, Campbellsville's attackers stepped up their game, recording 14 kills without any errors. At the 9-9 mark, the Tigers surged ahead with a 7-1 run, led by Denzel Madrigal's five kills, establishing an unbreakable momentum. The Phoenix struggled to match Campbellsville's increased pace, resulting in a 25-14 score and a tied match.

In the third set, the teams traded points back and forth, reaching a 12-12 tie. Campbellsville managed to pull ahead briefly with a four-point run, but Jacob Whyte consecutive kills leveled the score at 17-17.

The match remained tightly contested, with both teams trading points until the score reached 29-29. Two successive successful swings from Ilic and Whyte secured a 31-29 victory for CU. The Phoenix closed out the set with 20 kills and no errors, supported by Ginnings' fantastic defense.

Cumberland's attackers, who had expended considerable energy in the previous set, faced challenges at the start of the fourth. The Tigers capitalized on this, breaking away with a nine-point streak to lead 16-5.

Campbellsville maintained their momentum, holding the Phoenix to single-digit points and securing a 25-8 victory to force a fifth set.

Campbellsville's energy continued into the fifth set, where three straight blocks propelled them to a 7-2 lead.

After regrouping during a timeout, Kaden Kuehler's back-to-back blocks helped narrow the deficit to just one point.
Despite the Phoenix's efforts to catch up, the Tigers maintained a slight lead. In the end, a final swing from the outside secured a 15-13 victory for Campbellsville.