LEBANON, Tenn. – The Campbellsville Tigers traveled to Lebanon, Tennessee, to take on the Cumberland Phoenix Thursday night. The Tigers fought hard to take down the Phoenix, but it wasn't enough. The Tigers fell to the Phoenix in their first conference loss, 3-2.
To begin the first set, the Phoenix took the first two points. Kills came from Morgan Furness, Cierra Merrick, Hannah McGill, Molly Shannon, and Brooke Hager. The teams matched point-for-point, each taking the lead until the Tigers took a four-point lead over the Phoenix, 19-15. After many Phoenix service errors and kills from McGill and Hager, the Tigers took set one, 25-20.
Much like set one, the Phoenix took the first point of set two. Kills from Merrick and Zofia Serafinowska put the Tigers on the scoreboard. Campbellsville and Cumberland continued to be back-and-forth. The Phoenix extended their lead, remaining two points ahead of the Tigers. Kills from Shannon and Hager tied the set at 15-15. The Tigers fell to a five-point deficit to give set two to the Phoenix, 25-20.
Campbellsville took the first three points of the third set with kills from Shannon and Merrick. With Merrick's back-to-back kills, the Tigers improved to a five-point lead over the Phoenix, 10-5. After a three-point run from the Phoenix, the Tigers answered with a five-point run of their own, 21-11. After Merrick's 16th kill on the night, the Tigers took set three, 25-13.
To begin the fourth set, Cumberland took the first two points before a kill from Furness could give the Tigers their first point. Errors from both sides tied the set at 7-7. Back-to-back kills from Hager helped the Tigers extend their lead to 17-13. With four straight points from Cumberland, the set was tied at 17-17. A kill by Shannon ends the run from the Phoenix and gave the Tigers a one-point lead. The teams matched point-for-point until the Phoenix took a three-point lead, 23-20. The Tigers went on a three-point run to tie the set at 23-23. After securing the set at 25-25, a long rally ended with a kill by McGill and gave the Tigers a 26-25 lead. Back-to-back Cumberland points gave the Phoenix a win in the fourth set, 29-27.
In the fifth set, the Phoenix took the first point. With her 20th kill, Merrick put Campbellsville on the scoreboard. Cumberland quickly took a four-point lead over the Tigers, 6-2. A kill from Beyza Bektasoglu and a service error helped the Tigers cut the Phoenix's lead to 7-5. Kills from Merrick and Furness cut Cumberland's lead to one point. Two double hit calls on the Phoenix gave the Tigers their first lead in the fifth set, 11-10. The Phoenix responded to take the lead back, 13-12. Tied at 14-14, a service error gave the Phoenix a one-point advantage, 15-14. The Phoenix took the final set, 16-14.
The Tigers were led in kills by Merrick with 22 and Shannon with 18. Camryn Rich led with 53 assists and 22 digs. Taylor Thacker wasn't far behind with 20 digs of her own.
Campbellsville will be back in action on Friday, November 3rd, in Campbellsville, Kentucky, to take on Bethel University at 7 P.M. ET.
