CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — Campbellsville University used 13 service aces and an 8-1 closing surge in the decisive set Wednesday to defeat Freed-Hardeman University 26-24, 25-21, 17-25, 23-25, 15-7 at Gosser Gymnasium, advancing to the Mid-South Conference Championship match.
- Campbellsville improved to 28-9 overall after surviving its first five-set match since Aug. 28. The Tigers won the first two frames, absorbed Freed-Hardeman's response and never trailed in the deciding set.
- The Tigers served 13 aces, more than doubling the Lions' total of six. Olivia Hellman led Campbellsville with six aces, while Celestina Retumban and Libby Erwin added two apiece.
- Campbellsville controlled the net with 12 team blocks, recording one solo block and 22 block assists. Brooke Hager led the effort with seven block assists, while Kati Vest and Sophie Hill each contributed four.
- Elif Akcivi led the Tigers with 14 kills on a .312 hitting percentage and added three block assists. She produced six kills in the third set and delivered an important termination during Campbellsville's fifth-set run.
- Hill supplied Campbellsville's most efficient attack, finishing with 11 errorless kills on 19 attempts for a .579 hitting percentage. She also contributed four block assists and ended the match with her fifth-set kill.
- Hager added eight errorless kills on 18 swings, hitting .444 and combining her offensive production with a team-high seven block assists. She scored three of Campbellsville's final four points in the opening set and supplied two kills during the fourth.
- Vest directed the offense with 37 assists while adding three errorless kills, six digs, four block assists and an ace. Marisa Gallardo anchored the back row with a team-high 17 digs.
The teams remained within four points throughout a back-and-forth opening set. Freed-Hardeman built a 19-15 advantage, but Campbellsville answered with kills from Akcivi, Vest, and Hill to draw within 19-18.
The Lions later reached set point at 24-22 before the Tigers closed with four consecutive points. Vest and Hager combined for back-to-back blocks to tie the frame, Hager followed with a kill, and a Freed-Hardeman attack error completed Campbellsville's 26-24 comeback.
Campbellsville created earlier separation in the second set, moving ahead 10-5 behind aces from Hellman, Erwin, and
Addyson Viers. The Tigers extended the margin to 18-11 after two more Hellman aces and a kill from Erwin.
Freed-Hardeman responded with a 9-3 run to pull within 21-20, but the Tigers regained control. Two Lions attack errors moved Campbellsville ahead 23-20 before Hill supplied her fourth kill of the set and another error completed the 25-21 victory.
The Lions extended the match by controlling the middle portion of the third set. Campbellsville used consecutive Hellman aces to erase an early deficit and tie the frame at 5, but Freed-Hardeman later turned an 11-9 lead into a 17-11 advantage.
Akcivi produced six kills in the set, including four during Campbellsville's closing stretch, but the Lions maintained their separation and prevailed 25-17. Freed-Hardeman hit .367 with 14 kills and three errors in the frame.
The fourth set featured 14 ties as neither team led by more than two points. Campbellsville moved ahead 20-19 on Hager's kill, but Freed-Hardeman answered and later reached set point at 24-23 before Marija Cabadaj delivered the deciding kill for a 25-23 victory.
Campbellsville never trailed in the fifth. A Retumban ace opened the set, Gallardo followed with another to establish a 3-1 lead, and Erwin's ace later pushed the margin to 6-4.
After Freed-Hardeman pulled within 7-5, the Tigers seized control with four consecutive points. Akcivi and Vest supplied kills, while an Akcivi-Hill block helped extend Campbellsville's advantage to 11-5.
The Lions briefly interrupted the run before another Akcivi-Hill block restored a six-point margin. Vest followed with an ace, Hill put Campbellsville at match point with her 11th kill, and Retumban completed the 15-7 decision with an ace.
Akcivi led Campbellsville with 14 kills, Hill finished with 11 errorless kills, and Hager added eight without an attack error. Vest distributed 37 assists, Hellman served six aces, and Gallardo collected 17 digs as the Tigers advanced to Friday night's MSC championship match against the Cumberlands Patriots.
