LEBANON, Tenn. – In a competitive River States Conference match up, the Campbellsville Tigers suffered their first conference loss of the season, falling to Cumberland University in four sets. Despite a dominant third set, the Tigers couldn't maintain momentum, as the Phoenix proved too strong, both offensively and defensively.

The opening set was evenly matched in the first few rallies, but Cumberland quickly pulled ahead with a four-point lead. The Phoenix were firing on all cylinders, forcing Campbellsville to take an early timeout at 6-12. Looking for a spark, the Tigers turned to Pedro Zavatini, who delivered a much-needed kill. Campbellsville struggled to match Cumberland's offensive intensity but managed to string together a small run with a kill from Alonzo Vega and an ace from Andrew Ovalle, forcing the Phoenix into a timeout. However, Cumberland took complete control after the break, hitting an impressive .609 to claim the first set 25-18.

The second set started similarly, with Cumberland jumping to a quick lead before a service error gave the Tigers their first point. The teams battled to a 9-9 tie as Campbellsville searched for offensive answers. Oluwatesie Adebayo came off the bench to provide an immediate impact with a clutch kill, but Cumberland continued to apply pressure, prompting a Campbellsville timeout at 13-18. The Phoenix defense was a significant factor, disrupting the Tigers' attack with numerous block touches. Despite this, John Marcos Gonzalez kept Campbellsville in the fight with a key kill. The Tigers clawed back within one point, forcing a Phoenix timeout, and later tied the set at 26 with another Gonzalez swing. However, Cumberland held firm in the final moments, edging out a 28-26 win to go up 2-0 in the match.

Facing a must-win situation, Campbellsville came out strong in the third set, scoring the first four points to establish momentum. The Tigers maintained their lead, keeping the Phoenix at bay. A Gonzalez kill forced Cumberland into a timeout at 14-7, and an ace from Vega fired up the Campbellsville bench as the lead stretched to eight. The Tigers played urgently, battling for every point and hitting an impressive .478 in the set. Their effort paid off as they dominated the frame 25-14, forcing a fourth set.

The fourth opened with an explosive kill from Zavatini, and Campbellsville built a slim lead after an Ayoube Hamadache kill and a Cumberland error. The score remained tight, with back-and-forth kills leading to multiple lead changes. Cumberland took advantage of two consecutive Campbellsville errors to go on a three-point run, forcing a Tigers timeout. Denzel Madrigal and Gonzalez responded with back-to-back kills to bring the Tigers within one, but Cumberland's steady attack proved challenging. Campbellsville called another timeout at 11-17 to regain momentum, but the Phoenix closed out the set 25-17, securing the four-set victory.

The Tigers will remain in Lebanon, TN, for the Cumberland University Classic, where they will face Lawrence Tech tomorrow, March 14, at 1 p.m. ET.

• Mason McKinney had a near-perfect offensive performance, recording ten kills on 11 swings while hitting an incredible .909.
• Alonzo Vega led the offense with 42 assists, adding one ace and five digs.