GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.--Cumberland Volleyball split the final day of the Aquinas/Cornerstone Invite sweeping Trinity Christian, but falling to day two host Cornerstone.
Cumberland opened the day in Grand Rapids with a clean sweep of Trinity Christian, controlling the first two sets and outlasting the Trolls in extra points to close the third.
The Phoenix finished with 40 kills on a .195 clip, 37 assists, 11 aces, 46 digs, and 6.0 total blocks.
Lila Cade led the attack with 13 kills, while setter
Carlee Rogers piled up 31 assists and a match-high five aces.
Morgan Snead anchored the back row with 17 digs.
Hazel Konkel added six kills and a team-best 3.0 blocks.
Hailey Jones chipped in five kills. Trinity Christian posted 29 kills at .087 with six aces, 52 digs, and 5.0 total blocks. Sharide Sykes had 10 kills and 16 assists to pace the Trolls.
Cumberland established control early and never trailed, hitting .211 in the opener while holding Trinity Christian to .037. Rogers' distribution kept the ball moving, and the serve game applied steady pressure as the Phoenix pulled away late to win the set 25-18.
The defense took center stage as Cumberland limited the Trolls to .033 hitting. Cade and Jones supplied the points while Snead's coverage kept rallies alive, and a mid-set surge turned into a comfortable finish 25-16.
The tightest frame of the match featured long rallies and multiple ties. Cumberland hit .213 in the set and closed it out in extras, with Konkel impactful at the net and the serve-pass game doing just enough down the stretch for a 28-26 set win and the 3-0 sweep.
Cumberland battled the host Golden Eagles in Mol Arena, pushing a high-level second set to extras, but Cornerstone's efficiency and size at the net carried the day in three.
The Phoenix recorded 38 kills at .118 with 35 assists, two aces, 54 digs, and 4.0 total blocks. Cade notched a double-double with 12 kills and 10 digs and added 3.0 blocks; Konkel posted seven kills and 3.0 blocks;
Alei Roper added six kills. Rogers handed out 25 assists,
Kaleigh Glass led the back row with 14 digs, and
Jacey Hubbell contributed eight assists and seven digs. Cornerstone countered with 43 kills on .250, six aces, 54 digs, and 11.0 total blocks; Aubrey Johnson led with 13 kills, while Lydia Uganski (5.0 blocks) and Gabby VerBerkmoes (5.0 blocks) keyed the CU block party.
Cornerstone set the tone with a .233 attack percentage while limiting Cumberland to .114. A mid-set Golden Eagles run created separation that the Phoenix couldn't reel back in to drop the set 25-16.
Cumberland's best stretch of the match saw the Phoenix hit .273 and trade punches throughout. Cade and Roper carried the attack and Glass steadied the floor defense, but Cornerstone found the final two-point cushion in extras to win 28-26.
The Golden Eagles' block proved decisive, and Cumberland finished at -.051 in the frame while Cornerstone stayed efficient (.207). A late Cornerstone run put the match out of reach despite the Phoenix's fight at the net to fall in three 25-17 in the third set.
