CLEVELAND, Ga. – Strong starts in the first two sets helped power Truett McConnell women's volleyball (15-5, 5-1 AAC) over Tennessee Wesleyan (13-4, 4-2 AAC) in a 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-18) win Friday evening.
"We played really well in all aspects of the game," head coach
Joe Herrera said. "When we play well and control the tempo, great things happen."
As a team, the Lady Bears scored 40 kills as opposed to the Lady Bulldogs' 25. The team also controlled the net game, compiling six blocks on the night.
Alexis Mills lead the way with 11 kills through three sets, marking her third consecutive double-digit kill match.
Elizabeth Cook totaled four blocks, bringing her season number to 38.
Julia Fisher totaled 15 digs defensively, which was the most by the home team.
TMU started the first set with an 11-7 lead which was helped by a 4-0 scoring run. TWU benefited from a 4-0 run of its own to bring the set within one before a 6-2 run by the Lady Bears put them in control again.
Down 22-16, the Lady Bulldogs scored five of the next seven points to be within two late in the set. Cook took matters into her own hands from there as she scored a kill and then lined an ace to win the set.
Truett again built an early set lead in set two with a 10-4 advantage. The away squad responded with a 7-1 run to cut the margin to a single point. With the help of three team kills, TMU fought back with a 6-2 sequence which put the Lady Bears up by five and forced TWU to use a timeout. With a 21-18 lead, the home team wasted no time winning the set with four straight points.
Things started differently in the third set as the Lady Bulldogs took a 6-3 lead. With
Jade Seaman on the serve, Truett rallied for six consecutive points to take the lead back. After two points by Tennessee Wesleyan, the Lady Bears scored an 8-0 run which featured five attack errors.
"That was a big momentum shift in the third," Herrera said. "Any time you can get momentum on your side, that's what this game is all about."
TWU fought back with a scoring run of 7-1 to draw within three. Leading by four late in the set, the Lady Bears scored three unanswered and finalized the 3-0 win.
The team is back on the court tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. with a home match vs. Bryan at the Harris Athletic Complex.
