MISHAWAKA, Ind. – The Campbellsville Women's Volleyball team are coming home adding three wins to their record. This weekend, Bethel University hosted the Crosstown Showdown tournament in Mishawaka and South Bend, Indiana.
On Friday, the Lady Tigers defeated Indiana University at South Bend three sets to one on incredible performances all around. Senior
Paige Merrick tallied a season high 40 assists while Freshman
Molly Shannon led the way in kills with 16. As a unit, the Lady Tigers recorded an awesome 89 digs with Shannon (20),
Salma Gonzalez-Sosa (18),
Taylor Thacker (18), and Merrick (17) all contributing.
Later Friday evening the Lady Tigers traveled across town from South Bend to Mishawaka to face off against NAIA #25 Bethel University. A valiant effort was ultimately met with defeat as Campbellsville dropped three of the four sets. Senior middle blocker
Alina Zellin had six kills and five block assists in the contest.
The Lady Tigers sought to bounce back on Saturday and they did just that. Their first game saw the Campbellsville Women's Volleyball team face off against Aquinas College where they dropped the first set, but then rattled off three straight to seize the victory. Despite the Saints' 16 block assists, the Lady Tigers got key contributions from junior outside hitter
Sophie Ball and freshman middle blocker
Cierra Merrick. Both shared the honor of most kills for the match with 10 and those 10 kills were Ball's season high.
In the second match Saturday and their last of the tournament, Campbellsville took on the Mustangs of Mount Mercy University. The Lady Tigers won the first two sets against Mount Mercy, the first ever matchup between the two volleyball programs, but the Mustangs battled back to take the next two. Ultimately though, Campbellsville Women's Volleyball secured the victory in the fifth set behind Zellin's, Ball's, and
Sutton Mason's three-way tie for team-leading kills with 11. Shannon nearly doubled her previous career high in assists with 44.
For their next match, Campbellsville Women's Volleyball will seek to increase their current .750 winning percentage with a return home to face Kentucky Christian University. That contest will be at 6:30 p.m. ET at home in Gosser Gymnasium.
