KISSIMMEE, Fla. – After five riveting sets, Lady Tiger Volleyball punched their ticket to the NCCAA Championship Final with a win over Colorado Christian University, 3-2.
The Lady Tigers (30-13) and Cougars were stubborn at the start of the first set, knotting the score multiple times until 7-7. Colorado Christian (27-11) took control of the set with three consecutive points, then fled with the lead, winning the first set 25-17.
Set two was quite the opposite. After tying at seven again, CU made an 8-1 run to grab the lead and set the tone for the set, winning 25-15.
Campbellsville grabbed a steady lead in the third set, forcing the Cougars to call a timeout at 11-7. Colorado Christian answered with a quick six points to close in, urging CU to call a timeout. After the set evened at 19, Campbellsville took the lead and won the set 25-23.
Colorado Christian gave CU a run for its money in the fourth set, determined not to leave without a fight. The pair tied the set nine times before the Cougars capped it off, 25-22.
Everyone was on their toes for the fifth set. The teams took turns leveling the match until the score reached 15-15, and battled it out until CU mustered two points to win the set 19-17 and the match 3-2.
Two Lady Tigers collected double-doubles in tonight's match.
Katie Johnson grabbed 11 kills and 10 digs and
Inoa Fields assisted 51 points and had 17 digs.
Annija Abolina led Campbellsville in kills with 16, followed by
Jessie Stone with 12, and
Julia Fonseca and
Maria Coelho with 10 apiece.
Jessie Pendleton drove the defense with 29 digs, leading the court.
With the win, Campbellsvillel advances to the championship match at 1 p.m. The last time the Lady Tigers appeared in the NCCAA Championship was in 2009, when they left with the victory over Mount Vernon Nazarene University, 3-1. CU will return to Kissimmee Civic Center Saturday, Dec. 3 for the NCCAA Final to compete against the winner of the second semifinal match Friday at 7:30 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.
