BOWLING GREEN, Ky.- The #3 Tigers battled the #2 University of the Cumberlands Patriots in the Mid-South Conference Tournament Semifinals on Friday night. In a fierce battle to move forward to the championship game, Campbellsville fell to Cumberlands, 3-2.

From the early stages of the first set, the Patriots capitalized off service aces and attack errors from the Tigers to gain an early lead. However, Emily Aabye and Brooke Hager's avid kills reversed the gap on the scoreboard, propelling Campbellsville forward on the lead. Both teams remained a few kills from one another until a Cumberlands' service error and a kill by Erica Calderon earned the Tigers the first set, 25-22.

Unlike the first set, Campbellsville came into the second set, reaching double digits on the scoreboard and limiting the Patriots to only a couple of points in their favor. Although Cumberlands attempted to catch up, coming within a couple of kills from the lead, Jana Krstic continued to assist her fellow Tigers in widening their advantage and leaving the Patriots trailing. Cumberlands attempted to retaliate as the second set got closer to the end, but with a couple of attack errors to deter them, Campbellsville won the second set 25-20.

Much like the second, the Tigers began the third set holding the upper hand. However, the Patriots were quick to steal the lead and widen the gap on the scoreboard. As Cumberlands reached 20, Campbellsville struggled to catch up and bounce back from the lower end of the scoreboard. The Tigers lost the third set, 25-16.

As the fourth set unfolded, both teams juggled the lead, battling to hold the advantage. The Patriots got ahold of the upper hand, unwilling to lose their winning spot on the scoreboard. Calderon's momentum only strengthened, continuously tying the lead. However, Cumberlands retaliated and took the fourth set from Campbellsville, 26-24.

The fifth set came around with a lot of tension as both teams aimed to win the final set and make it to the conference championship. Cierra Merrick's kills kept tying the score as both teams went back-and-forth to steal the lead. With the Patriots' fierce kills and the Tigers' attack errors, Campbellsville fell to Cumberlands in the final set, 15-11.

• A few Tigers collected new season- and career-highs during tonight's game: Calderon with three new season-highs with 24 kills, six assists, and three digs, Merrick with one new season-high and matching her career-high with 29 digs, and Molly Shannon with a new career-high with 31 digs.
• Campbellsville's history against Cumberlands stretches back to 2005. The last time the Tigers defeated the Patriots during a conference tournament was in the quarterfinals during the 2015 season. Tonight's game marks Campbellsville's second consecutive loss against the Cumberlands.