FORT VALLEY, Ga. – The Tigers traveled to face Fort Valley State University Sunday afternoon. Although
Jakob Zum Kolk notched his career-high in kills, Campbellsville errors were prominent and they lost the match 3-1.
Starting the first set, FVSU was the first on the board, and the Tigers got their first point on the next play. The teams were trading points, but most of Campbellsville's points came from errors by Fort Valley State. The Wildcats gave themselves a four-point cushion in the middle of the set as Campbellsville tried to fill that gap. Late in the set, the Tigers came within one point of the Wildcats, but Campbellsville couldn't make up for their reception errors allowing Fort Valley State to take the first set 25-21.
The Tigers came out with a lot of energy in the second set. The frame was tied up 4-4, and a kill from Zum Kolk started a six-point run for Campbellsville. Around the set's midway point, the Tigers acquired a few errors, which brought the Wildcats within one point. Campbellsville cleared their reception errors this set and totaled three blocks with 15 kills which aided in their second-set win, 25-19.
John-Marcos Gonzales got this first kill to start the third set. Following that, the teams went back and forth with kills and errors, keeping each other within one point. Mid-set, the Tigers went on a small run, but Fort Valley State kept themselves close. The Wildcats took their first lead of the frame late as the score sat at 20-19. FVSU quickly took a four-point lead, but back-to-back kills from Zum Kolk brought the Tigers back within two points. Campbellsville attempted the comeback, but the Wildcats took set three, 26-24.
The fourth set opened with three straight errors by Campbellsville, giving FVSU a 3-0 lead. The Tigers were able to recover from those errors and tie the set up at 5-5. Both teams went back and forth with kills, but CU still trailed. This set continued to be close, but Fort Valley State took it to win, 25-21.
The Tigers totaled 56 kills, two more than the Wildcats, but the errors committed by the Tigers allowed FVSU to take this match. Campbellsville as a team had 15 service errors and two reception errors, while the Wildcats had no reception errors but had 15 service errors as well. Campbellsville saw no aces and had a .266 hitting percentage. Zum Kolk led the Tigers with 24 kills, seven digs, and one block. Gonzales followed with ten kills, six digs, and three blocks.
The Tigers will be back in action Thursday, February 2nd when they travel to North Carolina. Campbellsville will face St. Andrews University with the game beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
