KISSIMMEE, FLA. — Trinity Christian took a five-set nail-biter from Campbellsville in the final of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) DI Women's Volleyball National Championship today in the Kissimmee Civic Center.
 
The teams split the first four sets 17-25, 27-25, 17-25 and 25-22 before going to the deciding fifth set. Trinity took a 10-7 lead and never relinquished it, winning that set 15-13 and the match 3-2.
 
The Trolls (31-13) were one of the hottest teams in the NAIA, winning 15 of their last 17 matches.
 
Campbellsville (30-14) led the match in kills 69-62, but committed 10 more errors than did the Trolls. The Lady Tigers ended up hitting .166, led by Maria Coelho's 22 kills on 43 attacks. Annija Abolina added 13 kills.
 
Trinity had three players with double-figure kills, with the tandem of Rachel Verhage and Danielle Oeverman collecting 16 each.
 
It was the eighth five-set match of the season for the Lady Tigers, having won six of those. CU defeated Trinity nearly three months ago to the day by a 3-1 score at the Indiana Wesleyan Tournament.
 
The Trolls committed only 24 errors compared to 34 for Campbellsville and had four fewer service errors.
 
Inoa Fields had 53 assists in her final match as a Lady Tiger, leading everyone.
Jessie Pendleton had 29 digs to lead everyone and she received double-digit support from Katie Johnson (17), Abolina (10) Fields (17) and Savannah Moss (13).
 
Campbellsville would hit but .167 in the first set and Trinity broke away early, taking leads of 12-6, 20-15 and finally 25-17.
 
The Lady Tigers rallied to take set two, working from behind until finally tying the match at 25-all after trailing by as many as three (24-21) late in the set. But Trinity was kind to the Lady Tigers in this set, committing three errors that finally gave CU a 27-25 win.
 
Trinity bounced back in set three while Campbellsville's attack was hitting at a .073 clip. Trinity moved out to a 20-15 lead and CU never could close, losing by eight, 25-17.
 
Campbellsville improved its attack in the fourth set (.190) and drew away from an 18-18 tie and held on to a lead the rest of the way. Fields had four big kills down the stretch to propel CU to a 25-22 win.
 
In the fifth, Campbellsville fell behind 10-7 and closed to within 13-12 on a Julia Fonseca kill, but that's the last point the Lady Tigers would get.
 
Fields and Abolina were named to the all-tournament team. Fields, Abolina and Pendleton were named NCCAA All-Americans.
 
 
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.