WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. — Campbellsville University responded from a two-set deficit by taking the third frame, but the University of the Cumberlands regained control in the fourth to defeat the Tigers 25-12, 25-15, 23-25, 25-20 Friday in the Mid-South Conference Tournament championship match at the UC Volleyball Gym.
- Campbellsville concluded the conference tournament at 28-10 overall, while Cumberlands improved to 30-4 after completing an unbeaten run through Mid-South competition.
- The Tigers generated their best offensive performance in the third set, totaling 15 kills with three errors on 44 attacks for a .273 hitting percentage. Campbellsville built an 11-4 lead and held off a late Patriots rally to win 25-23.
- Sophie Hill led Campbellsville with 11 kills and only one error on 19 attacks, producing a match-best .526 hitting percentage among players with at least five attempts. She also recorded a solo block and scored the deciding point in the third set.
- Elif Akcivi matched Hill with a team-high 11 kills and added eight digs and Campbellsville's only ace through the first three sets. She supplied four kills during the Tigers' third-set victory.
- Kati Vest distributed 32 assists while adding four kills, 12 digs and a block assist. Celestina Retumban finished with a team-high 13 digs and seven assists.
- The Tigers were limited to a .127 hitting percentage, committing 24 errors on 142 attacks. Cumberlands countered with 59 kills and a .278 clip, led by Brynnley Bryant's 21 kills.
- Campbellsville finished with a 68-63 advantage in digs, placing four players in double figures. Retumban recorded 13, Vest added 12, Libby Erwin finished with 11 and Marisa Gallardo collected 10.
Cumberlands established control early, scoring the first four points of the opening set and extending its advantage to 10-2. Campbellsville received kills from Erwin, Akcivi and
Brooke Hager while reducing the deficit to 11-5, but the Patriots rebuilt their lead behind their attack.
Bryant and Elaina Fischer helped Cumberlands pull ahead 19-8. Hager produced two kills during Campbellsville's closing stretch, but Sara Zampedri supplied the final point in the Patriots' 25-12 opening-set victory. Cumberlands hit .480 with 13 kills and one error in the frame.
The Tigers scored the opening point of the second set on a Hager kill, but Cumberlands answered with three consecutive points and did not relinquish the lead. Campbellsville pulled within 5-4 on Hill's first kill and later used kills from Akcivi and Hill and a Patriots attack error to narrow the margin to 15-11.
Cumberlands regained separation with a 5-1 run and stretched its advantage to 20-12. Campbellsville forced consecutive attack errors to pull within six, but Fischer recorded two late kills before an attack error completed the Patriots' 25-15 decision.
Campbellsville responded decisively in the third. Hill and
Kaytlin Miller supplied kills as the Tigers scored the first three points, and an Akcivi ace extended the advantage to 5-1.
Miller added two more kills while Cumberlands committed two attack errors, helping Campbellsville move ahead 11-4. Akcivi and Hill then provided kills as the Tigers maintained a 16-11 lead.
Campbellsville extended the margin to 19-12 behind another Miller kill, a Vest-Hager block and a Patriots attack error. Cumberlands answered with an 8-2 run to draw within 21-20, but Hill ended the surge with a kill.
Akcivi moved Campbellsville to set point at 24-21. The Patriots fought off two opportunities before Hill delivered her seventh kill of the frame to secure the 25-23 victory and extend the match.
Cumberlands opened the fourth set with two straight points and built a 12-5 advantage. Campbellsville received kills from Akcivi, Erwin, Miller and Vest while attempting to reduce the deficit, but the Patriots maintained control and moved ahead 22-15.
The Tigers mounted one final response behind
Olivia Hellman's serve. Erwin produced a solo block, Hellman added an ace and Vest recorded consecutive kills as Campbellsville pulled within 24-20.
Bryant answered with her match-high 21st kill, completing the Patriots' 25-20 victory and securing the tournament championship.
Hill and Akcivi led Campbellsville with 11 kills apiece, while Hager added six and Miller finished with five. Vest totaled 32 assists and 12 digs, and Retumban collected 13 digs as the Tigers concluded their Mid-South Conference Tournament run in the championship match.
