CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – The Lady Tigers of Campbellsville University (6-2, 3-0 MSC) were back at home to take on the Lady Lions of Freed-Hardeman University (8-4, 1-0 MSC) in a conference match-up Thursday night. Fresh off of a hard-fought five-set victory against Bethel University, Campbellsville sought to continue their winning ways. They did just that taking care of business in three sets over the Lady Lions.
Freed-Hardeman's lone conference victory was against Bethel University who Campbellsville had just went to war with two days prior. On top of their game, the Lady Tigers pounced on the Lady Lions early and often in the first set. They opened up a six-point lead and took comfortable control. Freed-Hardeman mounted a bit of a comeback in the middle of the set but Campbellsville was not having any it and rebuilt their lead to five points behind a great block of
Jalyn Michael. The Lady Tigers captured the set after a kill from
Hannah McGill. The score was 25-18 and leading the way for the Lady Tigers was McGill,
McKenna Barfield, and
Molly Shannon with three kills apiece.
In the second set, Campbellsville had trouble with the adjustments made by the Freed-Hardeman falling behind 1-5. However, they were able to return to their rotations and retake the lead at 6-5 when Shannon notched a kill that the Lady Lions could not handle. The Lady Tigers opened up a six-point advantage behind the serving of
Taylor Thacker,13-7. Just like in the first set, the Lady Lions didn't surrender except this time they manage to tie the score at 18. Shannon though was too much of a force offensively for Campbellsville picking up five kills and spearheading her team to secure the second set, 5-20. The Lady Tigers offensively secured a .250 hitting percentage and defensively kept the Lady Lions at .154 hitting percentage limiting Freed-Hardeman to only ten kills.
The Lady Lions captured the first point of the third set. However, a kill by Michael sent
Paige Merrick to the serving line where she produced a four-point run putting the Lady Tigers up by a score of 5-1. That lead grew to 19-7 when Freed-Hardeman called a timeout in hopes of regrouping. Campbellsville kept pouring it on as McGill landed two quick kills to extend the lead 22-8. Poised to make sure that the match would end in straight sets, Thacker went to the serving line and produced two service points to secure the third set and the match, 25-9.
"I'm really proud of the way the girls came out and stayed on top of their game to finish in three sets. The blocking this week has been phenomenal! Really proud of
McKenna Barfield for leading the team in that aspect. Also, super happy with the way that Paige[Merrick] is spreading the ball around and allowing our hitters to put up amazing numbers. Excited for next week's matches", said Coach Johnston.
Shannon finished in double figures with 12 kills and 13 digs while Merrick finished the match with 31 assists and nine digs.
Jalyn Michael had four blocks and both
Andrea Laboy and
Taylor Thacker had 11 digs for the Lady Tigers' defense.
Campbellsville improved their record to 8-2 and 4-0 MSC and will travel just down the road next week on Wednesday, September 21
st at 7:00pm ET to take on rival Lindsey Wilson College.
