Portsmouth, Ohio. - - The Phoenix split the tri match in Ohio this weekend. The first game saw the team fall to Rio Grande. However, Cumberland regrouped and managed to take the win against Shawnee State in three straight sets. 

Cumberland fell in their first game of the day to Rio Grande University, 13-25, 21-25, 25-20, 12-25. Lila Cade led the Phoenix in kills with 11, followed by Hailey Jones and Carlee Rogers with eight each. Morgan Snead and Carlee Rogers were busy in defense with 21 and 12 digs respectively. The Phoenix finished with a .140 hitting percentage, while Rio Grande finished with .268. 

In the first set it was Rio Grande who took the early lead, however, the Phoenix battled back and with a number of kills got the game within touching distance at 10-13. Rio Grande hit three kills to extend their lead and forced a Phoenix timeout. Cumberland tried to gain momentum but Rio Grande had a five point run at the end to take the set 13-25.

The second set started evenly with both teams getting on the board. A Carlee Rogers kill and two attack errors gave Cumberland a slight advantage, however, a huge six point run from Rio Grande put the set 12-14 in their favor as the Phoenix took a timeout to regroup. Lila Cade and Hailey Jones were finding success at the net with a number of kills to level the set at 18-18. Rio Grande managed to find the extra push to get over the line and took the second set 21-25.

The third set was similar to the second with the teams evenly matched at 10-10. It was the Phoenix who went on a six point run including three kills from Hailey Jones and one from both Lila Cade and Carlee Rogers to put Cumberland up 19-14 and force a Rio Grande timeout. The red storm tried to come back but the Phoenix held out and a Hazel Konkel kill ended the set 25-20. 

Both teams tried to build momentum in the fourth set, with there being only a point separating the pair at 6-7. Rio Grande went on a five point run to take a 6-11 lead as Cumberland took a timeout. The Red Storm continued their momentum after the timeout and went on another five point run to put some breathing space between themselves and the Phoenix at 8-18. It was all Rio Grande for the remainder of the set as they took the win 12-25. 

The second game of the day saw Cumberland face Shawnee State. Hazel Konkel had a huge nine kills and .600 hitting percentage, while Carlee Rogers also hit nine with a .259 hitting percentage. Morgan Snead helped out with 14 digs, while Lila Cade had 13 of her own. Cumberland finished with 37 kills, four service aces and a .211 hitting percentage.

The first set started evenly with both teams finding success in attack. It was the Phoenix who took a slight advantage at 8-5 after four attack errors from the Bears. Alei Roper and Hailey Jones both hit some big kills to put the Phoenix up 15-10. Cumberland went on a five point run, before Shawnee took timeout. The Phoenix comfortably took the set 25-13.

The second set started very close with only one point separating the two teams until 11-10. Hazel Konkel got the kill to put the Phoenix into the driving seat at 17-12 as the Bears took a timeout. Shawnee clawed a few points back, but the lead was simply too big as Cumberland took the set 25-18.

The third set started much like the second, with the game tied at 8-8. Konkel got three kills early on, while Jacey Hubbell made some big plays as well. A four point run from the Phoenix put them up 17-15, however, the Bears answered back with a four point run of their own. The game was back and forth as the Phoenix leveled the game at 21-21. The end of the set was tense with both teams trying to gain the crucial points to take the set 25-22.

The Phoenix are back in action on Tuesday as they face Freed-Hardemann in their second conference match in Henderson, TN.