WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. — Campbellsville University remained within striking distance throughout Tuesday's Mid-South Conference match, but No. 21 University of the Cumberlands hit .297 and used decisive runs in each set to sweep the Tigers 25-18, 25-22, 25-20.
- Campbellsville moved to 17-7 overall and 3-2 in Mid-South Conference play, while Cumberlands improved to 20-4 overall and remained unbeaten in the conference at 5-0.
- The Patriots finished with a 46-33 advantage in kills and outhit Campbellsville.297-.139. Cumberlands surpassed .300 in each of the final two sets, hitting .343 in the second and .312 in the third.
- Sophie Hill led Campbellsville with eight points, recording seven kills with one error on 15 attacks for a team-best.400 hitting percentage. She also contributed two block assists.
- Kaytlin Miller provided an efficient lift in the third set, totaling four kills without an error on six swings for a .667 hitting percentage. Miller accounted for four of Campbellsville's 10 kills in the final frame.
- Kati Vest distributed 27 assists and added four kills, two digs and a block assist. The setter helped Campbellsville improve its hitting percentage in each set, progressing from .094 to .143 and then .185.
- Marisa Gallardo anchored the back row with a match-high 11 digs and added three assists and a service ace. Olivia Hellman contributed seven digs and Campbellsville's other ace.
- Campbellsville committed only three reception errors and matched Cumberlands with 101 attack attempts, but the Patriots converted their opportunities more consistently with 13 additional kills and three fewer attacking errors.
Campbellsville opened the match by turning an early 1-0 deficit into a 5-1 advantage. Gallardo's service rotation produced four consecutive points, including two Cumberlands attack errors and a pair of kills from
Elif Akcivi.
The Patriots answered with six consecutive points to move ahead 7-6. Campbellsville remained within three at 12-9 before kills from Hill and Vest, and two Cumberlands attack errors reduced the deficit to 15-13.
Cumberlands regained separation with an 8-2 run, moving ahead 23-15 behind four kills and three Campbellsville attack errors. Hill and Akcivi supplied late kills, but Martina Frangella closed the set with a termination to give the Patriots a 25-18 victory.
The Tigers fell behind 6-2 in the second set before beginning a steady response. Hellman served an ace, while Hill,
Libby Erwin, and
Riley Thorne contributed kills as Campbellsville worked back to a 13-13 tie. Vest followed with a kill, and a Cumberlands error gave the Tigers their first lead of the frame at 14-13.
The teams continued to trade points through a 16-16 tie before the Patriots scored three straight. Campbellsville later received consecutive Hill-Thorne blocks and a Hill kill to pull within 22-21, but Cumberlands claimed three of the final four rallies to take the set 25-22.
Cumberlands scored the first four points of the third before Campbellsville responded behind Miller's insertion into the attack. Miller recorded an early kill, and Vest added two as the Tigers trimmed the margin to 8-7.
Campbellsville continued its push and tied the set at 12 on an Akcivi-Hager block. Miller tied the frame again at 13 with a kill before Akcivi's termination, and a Patriots attack error moved the Tigers ahead 15-14.
The Tigers maintained a 16-15 advantage before Cumberlands seized control with seven consecutive points. Frangella supplied two kills and combined with Savanah Jolly on a block during the run, which gave the Patriots a 22-16 lead.
Miller delivered two more kills during the closing stretch, but Cumberlands maintained its separation and finished the 25-20 set on a kill from Faith Franklin. Hill and Akcivi led Campbellsville with seven kills apiece, Miller added four errorless kills, Vest recorded 27 assists, and Gallardo collected 11 digs in the conference setback.
