CLEVELAND, Ga. (Oct. 9, 2018) – Senior Shayla Smith recorded her 1,000th career kill in an Appalachian Athletic Conference showdown against Bluefield College inside the TMU Bear Cave. The Lady Bears defeated the Rams for the second time this season on Tuesday night (22-25, 23-25, 25-17, 25-13, 15-11).

The Lady Bears improved to 10-13, 5-6 AAC while the Rams dropped to 7-10, 5-6 AAC on the year.

SET BY SET

Despite outshining the Rams in the kills column (14-10), Bluefield took the first set on a TMU error at the net (22-25). The second game saw the most even play of the night. Both teams accounted for 11 kills but the Rams used an 8-0 run in the middle of the set to get out front for good (23-25). TMU rallied, however, in the third game, earning the first four points and leading by as much as nine points. Though the Rams responded earning five straight points, the Lady Bears won the first game of the night forcing three Bluefield attacking errors in a row.

TMU dominated in the fourth set earning five more kills than the Rams. All the Lady Bears needed was a 6-0 run after 11-10 to put the game out of reach. A duo block by Madison Curtis and Abby Maxwell sealed the deal for the 25th point to send the match into a fifth set (25-13).

The Lady Bears started out slow in the fifth game but rallied just in time. At 9-9, Smith's 1,000th career kill put TMU out front for good. Jordan Henshaw fed off the momentum earning four kills in a matter of minutes. But it was freshman Bethany Ross' kill that fastened the victory over Bluefield College (15-11).

LEADERS

Ross led with 16 kills while Smith earned 15. Henshaw added 10 kills and Heaven Walker six. Maxwell and Curtis led with six blocks while Beasley added three and Smith two. Maxwell recorded 49 assists on the night Hannah Lee compiled a total of 22 digs.

UP NEXT

TMU has a quick turnaround as they face St. Andrews University at 6:30 p.m., on Wednesday, Oct. 10, inside the TMU Bear Cave.