Phoenix Drop Two on Final Day of OUAZ Invitational

SURPRISE, Ariz.--Cumberland closed out the OUAZ Invitational on Saturday with a pair of hard-fought losses, falling in five sets to Northwest University before dropping a four-set match to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Cumberland rallied from a two-set deficit to force a decisive fifth set, but Northwest held off the Phoenix 25-23, 28-26, 22-25, 14-25, 15-9.

The Phoenix produced 58 kills and 11 blocks while outhitting Northwest .179 to .120. Cumberland also held advantages in digs, 77-67, and service aces, 11-10, but 29 attack errors and 17 service errors proved costly.

Bianca Guceanu led Cumberland with 13 kills on a .310 hitting percentage. Carlee Rogers recorded a double-double with 12 kills, 25 assists and 16 digs, while Carola Schnidrig added 11 kills, seven digs and three aces.

Liberty Shadix finished with nine kills and hit a match-best .471. Hailey Jones led the Phoenix at the net with two solo blocks and six block assists.

Kaleigh Glass collected a match-high 20 digs, while AJ Bryant added 13 digs and three aces. Emma Chavers dished out 23 assists.

Northwest broke a 23-23 tie with the final two points to claim the opening set. The second frame went beyond regulation after Cumberland fought off set point and evened the score at 26, but an Afton McRae kill and a Madelyn Galstad ace gave the Eagles a 28-26 win and a 2-0 advantage.

Cumberland responded by scoring the first four points of the third set behind three consecutive Shadix kills. Northwest pulled within one late, but a service error and a block from Shadix and Guceanu sealed a 25-22 Phoenix victory.

The Phoenix controlled the fourth set from start to finish. Cumberland jumped ahead 8-2 and later used another run to build a double-digit advantage before closing out the frame 25-14.

The teams traded points early in the fifth set before Northwest used a run to take control. Cumberland pulled within two at 11-9, but the Eagles scored the final four points to secure the match.

Cumberland closed the tournament with a loss to Embry-Riddle. The Phoenix won the second set, but could not get past the Eagles in the third or fourth, 21-25, 25-18, 17-25, 22-25.

The Phoenix registered 46 kills and hit .153, while the Eagles finished with 47 kills and a .186 percentage. Embry-Riddle held a 9-5 advantage in total blocks, while both teams recorded seven service aces.

Guceanu and Schnidrig paced Cumberland with 10 kills apiece. Schnidrig added 11 digs, while Shadix finished with eight kills and three block assists.

Rogers filled the stat sheet with seven kills on a .333 hitting percentage, 34 assists, four digs and three block assists. Glass led the defense with 16 digs, and Bryant added 10.

Embry-Riddle created separation late in a back-and-forth opening set, turning a narrow advantage into a 25-21 win.

Cumberland answered with its strongest set of the match. The Phoenix moved ahead early and maintained control throughout the second frame, using a balanced attack to even the match with a 25-18 victory.

The Eagles responded in the third, building an early lead and keeping Cumberland at a distance on the way to a 25-17 win.

The Phoenix appeared poised to force a fifth set after taking a 22-17 advantage in the fourth. Embry-Riddle, however, closed the match with eight unanswered points to rally for a 25-22 victory.

Cumberland will stay on the road and travel to Michigan next weekend to take on three ranked teams at the Aquinas/Cornerstone Invitational.

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