KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Lady Tiger Volleyball suffered their first loss in the NCCAA Championship today to No. 3-seed Oklahoma Baptist University in four sets.
Campbellsville (29-13) began this match prepared for a challenge. The Lady Bison (23-14) previously swept both Southern Wesleyan and Cincinnati Christian, matching the Lady Tigers' 2-0 start the NCCAA.
The Lady Tigers and Bison began the first set neck and neck knotting the score at seven. Oklahoma Baptist broke off with a 14-12 lead before CU answered with a 5-0 rally, putting the set at 17-14 in CU's favor. The Lady Tigers kept the momentum to claim the set, 25-17.
OBU set the tone for the second set, urging a timeout call while falling behind 8-3. Campbellsville attempted a comeback bringing the score to 11-9, but five errors in seven rallies cost the Lady Tigers a chance to catch up. OBU won the set, 25-20.
Determined to redeem themselves, the Lady Tigers fought even in the beginning of the third and fourth sets with the Bison. But, yet again, OBU took off on 5-0 runs to set Campbellsville back and endured to win both. The Lady Tigers lost the third set 25-19 and the fourth set 25-16, losing the match 3-1.
A trio of
Jessie Stone,
Katie Johnson, and
Annija Abolina kills drove CU's offense with 11 kills each. Johnson grabbed a double-double, also collecting 16 digs.
Inoa Fields assisted the Lady Tigers 28 times compared to the Bison's Kennedy Myers who had 34.
Jessie Pendleton led the defense and tied OBU's Sierra VeraCruz with 28 digs.
Campbellsville still advances to one of the two semifinals of the NCCAA Championship, facing Colorado Christian University today at 4:30 p.m.
In addition to coverage of the NCCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship, CU Sports Information Assistant, Richard RoBards, and Sports Information Graduate Assistant, Maggie Calvert, both Lady Tiger travel companions, will keep fans updated with periodic behind-the-scenes features on www.campbellsvilletigers.com and photo galleries on Facebook at Campbellsville Tigers. You can also follow the Lady Tigers on Twitter at @CUTigerVball and @CvilleTigers.
