OWENSBORO, Ky.-- Men's volleyball secured their third consecutive victory by notching an impressive 13 blocks against the Brescia Bearcats in four sets.

With this win, the Phoenix improved to a 6-3 conference record as regular-season conference play approaches its end.

Jacob Whyte led the Phoenix attackers with 11 kills, closely followed by Luka Ilic with ten. Both of Cumberland's middle blockers, Kaden Keuhler and Austin Smalley, contributed four blocks. Caleb Ginnings stood out as the top defender with 11 digs, while also chipping in five assists and an ace.

After reaching a 14-14 tie in the first set, the Bearcats took control with a 5-0 run, capitalizing on several Cumberland errors. Despite Smalley and Whyte delivering consecutive kills to briefly halt Brescia's momentum, they were unable to fully shift the tide.

Brescia won the set 25-20, committing only three attacking errors compared to Cumberland's eight, two of which were committed in the final points of the set.

The Phoenix started set two strong, taking a 4-1 lead with impressive plays by Kuehler, who picked up a kill and a solo block. The Bearcats responded swiftly, and with both teams elevating their blocking game, the score reached an 18-18 tie.

The final push saw fierce offense from Cumberland's side, led by Alexander Heuer's setups that resulted in three consecutive kills, propelling them to a 21-18 lead. Fueled by this momentum, the Phoenix maintained their defensive dominance, preventing the Bearcats from gaining any ground with continuous block touches.

The Phoenix surged ahead for a 25-20 win of their own, finishing the frame with five total blocks.  

Building on their momentum from the previous set, Cumberland dominated the early stages of set three with a 7-1 run, taking advantage of Brescia's early struggles on the attack.

As the set progressed, the Bearcats faced the challenge of overcoming a negative attack percentage. However, they were unable to match the intensity established by Cumberland's cohesive team efforts.

With a final kill from Whyte, the Phoenix gained the game's advantage with a 25-16 score.

Despite CU starting the fourth set with a 7-3 lead, the Bearcats improved their performance at the net, challenging the Phoenix to earn their points rather than capitalizing on errors. 

The teams remained evenly matched throughout the middle portions of the set, but Cumberland's blockers proved pivotal, helping them pull ahead with four consecutive points. Maintaining this lead, the Phoenix secured a 25-19 victory with a kill and ace from Nage Hendrickson.

The Phoenix will continue their road trip for tomorrow's match against Campbellsville, marking their final regular-season conference matchup of the season. The game is scheduled to start at 5 PM CT.