Box Score CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. -- Cumberland battles hard with the Tigers, but falls in four sets in Campbellsville by a score of 25-22, 25-27, 28-30, 22-25.
The Phoenix had 52 kills tonight on a .123 hitting percentage, distributing 50 assists, getting 10 service aces, collecting 78 digs, and scoring on eight blocks.
Carola Schnidrig led the Phoenix with a double-double, scoring 18 kills and collecting 21 digs. Bianca Guceanu and Jacey Hubbell added eight kills to the Phoenix attack, with Hailey Jones adding six more. Carlee Rogers had 36 assists, while adding four kills, nine digs, and a pair of aces and block assists. On the defensive side, AJ Bryant had 15 digs, while getting a pair of kills and assists. Kaleigh Glass had 11 digs, four aces, and three assists.
To open the match, Cumberland kept it close with the hosts until Campbellsville scored six of seven points to pull away initially; then two aces by Glass tied the first set up 14-14. The Phoenix and Tigers traded points until the end of the set, with Bryant and Guceanu closing the door with back-to-back kills to win the first set 25-22.
Cumberland's defense forced Campbellsville to have a .034 hitting percentage in the first set, with the Phoenix collecting 12 digs and scoring on three blocks.
Entering the second set, the set stayed within three points, with Cumberland hitting four straight kills to take the lead early. On the other side, Campbellsville used three straight blocks to tie the game at eight, and ballooned that run to an 8-1 sprint to get the largest lead of the set.
After that run, Cumberland found themselves down 21-16 and put up a massive run to cut the lead to one, and after a quick burst from Campbellsville, the Phoenix forced a deuce in the second set. However, the Tigers found two quick points and took set two with a score of 27-25. Campbellsville had five blocks in set two and forced 11 Cumberland attack errors.
Heading into the all-important set three, both teams were hitting just over .100 in the match. Cumberland opened the third set scoring six of the first eight points to take an early lead. The Phoenix offense started to heat up in the early portions of set three. Hitting .348 to set the score at 14-11 midway through the third set.
After Cumberland took a 17-12 lead, Campbellsville came roaring back to tie the set at 17 with a 5-0 run. Both teams traded points from there, with Schnidrig hitting four kills for the Phoenix late to push the Phoenix lead to 23-21. After the timeout, the Tigers scored three straight points to get to set point, but Cumberland forced a deuce for the second straight set.
This deuce lasted longer than the previous set's deuce, with both teams trading points back and forth until Campbellsville found three straight points and took set three with a score of 30-28.
The Tigers used the momentum from the long set three to score four of the first five points to take the early lead. Campbellsville maintained their lead throughout the beginning half of the fourth set. The Phoenix forced three errors by the Tigers to even the score at 14 with a 4-0 run. Both CUs traded two-point bursts for some time, until a Jones service ace gave Cumberland its first lead of the fourth set at 20-19. After the timeout, Campbellsville went on a 3-point run to take the lead right back.
After Cumberland tied the set at 22, Campbellsville scored three straight and took set four with a score of 25-22 and won the match three sets to one.
Cumberland will stay in the Bluegrass State, as the Phoenix will be playing tomorrow, October 10th, as they match up with Columbia College at 11:00 AM in Campbellsville.
