Volleyball splits day one of Vette City Classic
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (Aug. 20, 2021) – The Point University volleyball team traveled to Bowling Green, Kentucky, to compete in the Vette City Classic, and finished day one with a split, dropping the first match to Campbellsville 3-1 before sweeping Tennessee Southern 3-0, Friday night.
Match against Campbellsville | 25-18, 13-25, 14-25, 14-25
Point opened the 2021 season against Campbellsville and despite an early lead, the Skyhawks dropped the match in four sets 25-18, 13-25, 14-25, 14-25.
Point opened the first set with a 7-0 run and extended their lead out to as many as 11 points. The Skyhawks combined for 15 kills.
In the second set, the Tigers jumped out to a 3-0 lead before Point answered back with back-to-back kills from Kaitlyn Hawke, followed by a kill from Mollie Goen. However, that was as close as the Skyhawks would get, as Campbellsville took the lead on the following play and never lost it. Campbellsville closed the second set, scoring seven of its final nine points off kills.
In the third set, both teams were back and forth in the opening rallies before Campbellsville went on a 7-1 run to jump ahead 16-9 and win the third set, taking a 2-1 lead. The Tigers also won the fourth set 25-14, opening the final set, with a 10-0 lead.
Te'a Owens led the offensive efforts for Point with eight kills and also recorded 12 digs. Kaitlyn Hawke recorded her first double-double of the season with 13 assists and 14 digs. Audrey Blaschke had a game-high of 22 digs and Whitney Ward recorded 10. The Tigers recorded 50 kills while Point recorded 29.
Match against Tennessee Southern | 25-23, 25-22, 30-28
The Skyhawks bounced back in their second match of the day, defeating Tennessee Southern in three sets, 25-23, 25-22, 30-28.
Point took an early lead in the first set, jumping out 6-2 and extending its lead out to seven. The Skyhawks held onto the lead for the majority of the set before the FireHawks went on a 5-0 run to jump ahead 23-21. Back-to-back kills from Daixa Andujo tied the score at 23 before a kill from Whitney Ward and an attack error by Tennessee Southern helped Point to victory.
Point opened the second set on an 11-1 run and held onto its lead for most of the set before the FireHawks bounced back, tying the score at 22. Owens helped retake the lead for the Skyhawks, scoring two points off a kill followed by an ace before an attack error by Tennessee Southern won the second set for Point, giving them a 2-0 lead.
Both teams were back and forth in the third set as neither team jumped ahead by more than two points. The Skyhawks were a point away from winning the match, leading 24-23, before the FireHawks scored two points to jump ahead 25-24. Point followed, scoring two points before a Skyhawk attack error would tie the score at 27. Once again, Point would take the lead, this time off a Tennessee Southern error, before the FireHawks would tie the score again. Tied at 28, back-to-back attack errors by the FireHawks would give Point the final two points they would need to win the match in three straight sets.
Point connected for 31 kills, with Owens recording a game-high of 13. Hawke recorded 19 assists and Blaschke had 11 digs.
Up next
Day of the Vette City Classic will begin tomorrow, Saturday, Aug. 21, with the Skyhawks competing in two more matches. Point's first match will be against Pikeville at 10 a.m., followed by a match with Shawnee State at 3 p.m.