CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — The #5 Campbellsville University men's volleyball team passed its latest top-10 test with flying colors, defeating #9 Bethel University (Ind.) 3-1 inside Gosser Gymnasium on Friday night. The Tigers (11-0) utilized high-octane pin hitting and timely terminal blocks to overpower the Pilots (5-1) in four sets (25-15, 25-17, 19-25, 25-23).
- The #5 Campbellsville University men's volleyball team protected its home court to open the Campbellsville Invitational, securing a 3-1 victory over #9 Bethel (Ind.) on Friday night.
- The Tigers elevate to a perfect 11-0 on the year, extending the second-best start in program history.
- Denzel Madrigal powered the offense with a match-high 18 kills while hitting an efficient .371 on the right side.
- Pedro Zavatini was nearly flawless in the middle, putting away 12 kills on a blistering .647 hitting percentage alongside five total blocks (one solo, four assisted).
- Ayoube Hamadache delivered another stellar performance, tallying 17 kills and a service ace.
- Alonzo Vega orchestrated the attack to the tune of 45 assists, guiding the team to a .268 hitting percentage against a top-tier defensive front.
- Andrew Ovalle anchored the back line with a match-high 18 digs, consistently keeping the Tigers in-system during long rallies.
- The #5 Tigers will look to continue their undefeated run as they conclude play in the Campbellsville Invitational tomorrow, taking on Governors State.
The opening frame began as a feel-out process between the two top-10 heavyweights, with the score gridlocked at 11-11. From there, Campbellsville flipped a switch. A service ace from
Alonzo Vega sparked a massive Tiger run. Vega began dealing to his pins, finding
Savvas Christou and
Ayoube Hamadache for consecutive kills.
Denzel Madrigal then took over the service line, ripping an ace to extend the lead to 20-14. The Tigers completely overwhelmed the Pilots' serve-receive, closing the set on a 14-4 run, capped by a thunderous middle strike from
Pedro Zavatini.
Campbellsville carried its red-hot momentum into the second frame. The set remained tightly contested through the midway point, with Bethel tying the score at 12-12. However, the Tigers' depth and offensive versatility proved too much. A kill from Christou ignited a 4-0 run to give Campbellsville a 16-12 cushion. Madrigal and Hamadache traded heavy swings, consistently finding the floor to keep Bethel out of system. The Tigers hit a blistering .517 in the second set, wrapping up the 25-17 win following a block error by the Pilots to take a commanding 2-0 match lead.
Facing a sweep, the ninth-ranked Pilots responded with their backs against the wall. Bethel ramped up its defensive intensity and jumped out to an early 11-6 advantage. Campbellsville's offense stalled slightly with unforced errors, allowing Bethel to build an 18-11 lead behind the precise attacking of Ling Pak him and Thomas Dunkley. Despite a late push highlighted by kills from
Luke Stracener and Zavatini, the deficit was too large to overcome, and the Pilots extended the match with a 25-19 set victory.
The fourth set was a dramatic, back-and-forth thriller fitting of a top-10 clash. Campbellsville roared out of the gate, jumping to a 7-2 lead after Madrigal scored three quick kills. Bethel slowly chipped away at the Tigers' lead, eventually knotting the score at 11-11 and again at 15-15. The two squads traded blows in a tense side-out battle down the stretch.
The Pilots grabbed a late 21-20 lead, putting the pressure on the home side. Showing the poise of an undefeated contender, the Tigers answered the call. Madrigal tied the game at 22-22 with a clutch kill, and Christou hammered one home off a feed from Ovalle to give Campbellsville a 23-22 edge. After Bethel tied it at 23-all, Vega turned to his hot hand in the middle. Zavatini delivered back-to-back terminal kills to seal the 25-23 set and clinch the 3-1 match victory.
