CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — The #9 Campbellsville University men's volleyball team electrified Gosser Gymnasium on Saturday, opening the 2026 campaign with two victories, including a dramatic, reverse-sweep upset over #3 St. Thomas University.
- Campbellsville opened the 2026 season with a perfect 2-0 record, highlighted by a massive upset over #3 St. Thomas University.
- The Tigers completed a "reverse sweep" against the Bobcats, rallying from a 0-2 deficit to win the final three sets, capping the match with a marathon 23-21 fifth set.
- Freshman outside hitter Savvas Christou exploded for a match-high 20 kills on a .441 hitting percentage to lead the offense against St. Thomas.
- Junior setter Alonzo Vega dished out 82 total assists on the day, including 61 in the five-set victory.
- In the season opener against Truett McConnell, the Tiger defense held the Bears to a .070 hitting percentage in a dominant 3-0 sweep.
- Middle blocker Pedro Zavatini was an efficient force, tallying 14 kills on a .632 clip against St. Thomas and adding 6 kills in the first match.
- The #9 Tigers will look to carry this momentum on the road as they travel to Fort Wayne, Ind., on Wednesday, Jan. 28. They are set to face (RV) Lourdes University and (RV) Indiana Tech in a challenging mid-week doubleheader.
The Tigers (2-0) began the day with a clinical 3-0 sweep of Truett McConnell University before battling back from two sets down to topple the third-ranked Bobcats 3-2 (25-27, 23-25, 25-18, 25-23, 23-21) in a match that will surely shake up the national polls.
Match 1: Campbellsville 3, Truett McConnell 0
The Tigers opened their season with a dominant defensive performance, stifling the Bears (0-3) to a .070 hitting percentage en route to a straight-set victory (25-16, 25-18, 25-13).
Campbellsville's balanced attack was paced by
Luke Stracener and
Pedro Zavatini, who tallied six kills apiece. Libero
Andrew Ovalle anchored the back row with 11 digs, keeping the Bears' offense out of system for much of the morning.
After shaking off early season jitters in the first set, the Tigers found their rhythm. Leading 19-9 in the opener, kills by Stracener and
Savvas Christou helped close out the frame. The second set saw
Ayoube Hamadache and freshman
Lazar Spasovski spark the offense, with Zavatini and Christou combining for a block to seal the 25-18 win. The Tigers cruised in the third, with Stracener and Hamadache overwhelming the Truett McConnell defense to complete the sweep.
Match 2: Campbellsville 3, St. Thomas 2
In the marquee match-up of the day, Campbellsville found themselves in an 0-2 hole against the defending national semifinalists. The Tigers dropped two tightly contested sets, 25-27 and 23-25, despite holding late leads in both.
Facing a sweep, the Tigers responded with resilience. Behind the setting of
Alonzo Vega, who finished with 61 assists, the offense caught fire.
Savvas Christou took over, hammering down a career-high 20 kills while hitting .441. He was supported by Hamadache (16 kills) and Zavatini (14 kills), who provided a lethal option through the middle.
Campbellsville claimed the third set 25-18 and fought off the Bobcats in the fourth, 25-23, to force a decisive fifth set.
The final frame was an instant classic, extending well past the regulation 15 points. Neither team could gain more than a one-point advantage deep into overtime. With the score knotted at 21-21 following a St. Thomas service error, the Tigers turned to their defense and transition offense. Ovalle found
Nikola Spasovski for a kill to reach match point at 22-21, and Vega connected with Zavatini for the final terminal kill to seal the 23-21 victory and the upset.
Stracener also finished in double figures with 11 kills, rounding out a potent offensive display that saw the Tigers hit .291 as a team against one of the nation's top squads.
