BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Campbellsville University completed a 4-0 run through the Vette City Classic and improved to 10-2 on Saturday, sweeping Tennessee Southern and Fisk behind sustained defensive pressure and balanced production at the net.
- The Tigers followed Friday's two five-set victories with six consecutive set wins Saturday, defeating Tennessee Southern 25-10, 25-17, 25-23 and Fisk 25-20, 25-12, 25-23. Campbellsville finished the Vette City Classic 4-0 and exited the weekend with a 10-2 overall record.
- Campbellsville's defense limited its two opponents to a combined.014 hitting percentage. Tennessee Southern hit .047 with 22 errors, while Fisk finished at minus-.018 after committing 35 errors against 33 kills.
- The Tigers held every opponent set below a .100 hitting percentage. Tennessee Southern posted clips of .000, .077, and .054, while Fisk hit .077, minus-.200, and .053.
- Campbellsville totaled 15 team blocks across the two sweeps while allowing eight. Brooke Hager contributed five total blocks for the day, and Riley Thorne and Kati Vest each added three.
- Elif Akcivi led the attack with 20 kills across six sets, recording nine against Tennessee Southern and 11 against Fisk. She added 17 digs, two aces, and 2.5 total blocks.
- Sophie Hill produced 10 kills with two errors on 18 swings for a team-best.444 hitting percentage. She closed the day with seven errorless kills on 10 attempts against Fisk.
- Vest directed the offense with 50 assists while adding five kills without an error, 14 digs, two aces, and three total blocks. Celestina Retumban led the back row with 20 digs and supplied four aces.
MATCH ONE: Campbellsville 3, Tennessee Southern 0
Campbellsville established control early against Tennessee Southern, turning a 2-1 deficit into a 17-3 advantage in the opening set. The Tigers received three kills from
Libby Erwin during the run, while Akcivi produced three kills, an ace, and several extended service sequences. Campbellsville hit .385 with 12 kills and two errors in the 25-10 win.
The Firehawks scored five of the first seven points in the second set before Campbellsville worked back to a 9-9 tie. A Gallardo ace put the Tigers ahead, and consecutive points behind
Olivia Hellman's serve gave Campbellsville a 15-11 advantage.
Tennessee Southern pulled within 15-13, but the Tigers responded with five of the next six points. Erwin recorded three kills during the closing stretch, and consecutive Akcivi kills moved Campbellsville to set point before a Firehawks attack error finished the 25-17 decision.
The third set was the tightest of the match. Campbellsville used a pair of Vest-Hager blocks and a Hager kill to build an 8-4 advantage, but Tennessee Southern later cut the margin to 22-21. Thorne ended the Firehawks' run with a kill, and after the teams traded sideouts, Erwin delivered the match-clinching termination for a 25-23 victory.
Erwin and Akcivi led Campbellsville with nine kills apiece. Vest finished with 30 assists, six digs, three kills and three block assists, while Retumban collected 16 digs. Hellman added eight digs and two aces as the Tigers held Tennessee Southern to 27 kills and a .047 hitting percentage.
MATCH TWO: Campbellsville 3, Fisk 0
Campbellsville returned later Saturday to face Fisk. The Bulldogs led 18-17 in the opening set before the Tigers gained separation with a 6-0 run. Akcivi delivered two kills during the surge, and an attacking error gave Campbellsville a 23-18 advantage. After Fisk scored twice, Vest recorded the final kill of a 25-20 opening-set victory.
The Tigers controlled the second set from the outset, scoring the first five points behind Retumban's serve. Campbellsville extended its advantage to 11-2 as its block and floor defense repeatedly disrupted Fisk's attack.
Fisk committed 14 attacking errors and hit minus-.200 in the frame. Akcivi recorded four kills, while Hager and Hill each added two as Campbellsville pulled away for a 25-12 win.
The Bulldogs responded by building a 17-9 lead in the third set, but Campbellsville steadily reduced the deficit. Retumban's ace and a Thorne-Hager block brought the Tigers within 18-14 before kills from Akcivi and Hager narrowed the margin to 20-19.
Campbellsville completed the comeback by scoring six of the final eight points. A Vest ace tied the set at 22, an attacking error gave the Tigers the lead, and Hill followed with consecutive kills to complete the 25-23 victory and the sweep.
Akcivi led Campbellsville with 11 kills and 10 digs against Fisk. Hill finished with seven kills on a .700 hitting percentage, Hager added five kills and 3.5 total blocks, and Vest recorded 20 assists, eight digs and two errorless kills. The Tigers forced 35 Fisk attacking errors and held the Bulldogs to a negative hitting percentage to close their unbeaten weekend.
