CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – Campbellsville University hit .461 and delivered 13 service aces Monday at Gosser Gymnasium, sweeping Bethel University 25-13, 25-13, 25-15 in the opening round of the Mid-South Conference Championship Tournament to advance to Wednesday's semifinal.
- Campbellsville improved to 27-9 overall and advanced with its third victory over Bethel this season, winning all three meetings in four sets or fewer. The Wildcats concluded the match at 5-21.
- The Tigers amassed 47 kills with 12 errors on 76 attempts for a .461 hitting percentage, finishing above .300 in each set. Campbellsville hit .542 in the second and .500 in the third.
- Campbellsville held a 47-19 advantage in kills and limited Bethel to a .090 hitting percentage. The Tigers also finished with advantages in digs, 42-16, and total blocks, 5-3.
- Libby Erwin led the attack with 15 kills and three errors on 24 attempts, hitting .500 while adding eight digs and an ace. Her 16 points were a match high.
- Riley Thorne recorded nine errorless kills on 13 swings for a match-best .692 hitting percentage. Sophie Hill added eight kills on a .500 clip, while contributing three block assists.
- Kati Vest directed the offense with 38 assists while adding four kills, four digs, and a block assist. Campbellsville recorded 46 assists on its 47 kills.
- Celestina Retumban served seven of Campbellsville's 13 aces and added seven digs and six assists. Olivia Hellman contributed five aces and five digs, giving the pair 12 aces.
Campbellsville established control behind its block and serve in the opening set. Hill and
Brooke Hager combined for a block on the first rally, and Hellman's ace helped the Tigers build a 5-1 advantage.
Bethel reduced the margin to 8-7 before Hill ended the Wildcats' run with a kill. Thorne followed with a termination, then combined with Hill on a block as Campbellsville moved ahead 12-7.
The Tigers created further separation behind Retumban's serve. Hill recorded consecutive kills, Thorne added another, and Retumban served two aces during a seven-point run that extended Campbellsville's lead to 19-10.
Erwin and Thorne combined for Campbellsville's final five kills, with Erwin closing the 25-13 set. The Tigers finished the opening frame with 14 kills and a .333 hitting percentage while limiting Bethel to six kills.
Retumban gave Campbellsville an immediate advantage in the second set, serving the first 10 points. She delivered three aces during the run, while Erwin recorded three kills and Hill added two as the Tigers surged ahead 10-0.
Bethel trimmed the deficit to 10-3 before Erwin stopped the rally with a kill. Hellman later served consecutive aces during a five-point run that made it 16-4.
The Tigers maintained their double-digit advantage throughout the remainder of the frame.
Elif Akcivi contributed three kills during the closing stretch, Erwin added three more, and a Bethel attack error completed the 25-13 victory. Campbellsville hit .542 with 15 kills and two errors.
Campbellsville again scored the first five points of the third set, receiving kills from Thorne and Hill, another Retumban ace, and two Bethel attack errors. The Tigers extended the margin to 11-2 behind two Erwin kills and Hellman's fifth ace.
Bethel narrowed the deficit to 17-12, but Vest ended the run with a kill before Hager recorded a solo block. Akcivi then supplied four kills during Campbellsville's final six points.
Retumban finished the match with her seventh ace, completing the 25-15 set and Campbellsville's sweep. Erwin led the Tigers with 15 kills, Thorne added nine errorless kills, Hill finished with eight kills, and Vest distributed 38 assists.
Campbellsville will host the winner of Freed-Hardeman and Cumberland in the Mid-South Conference Tournament semifinals Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET inside Gosser Gymnasium.
