JACKSON, Tenn. - The Union University volleyball team won 3-1 (29-27, 17-25, 25-22, 25-17) Christian Brothers University on Tuesday night in the last home game of the season.
The Bulldogs are now 14-16 over all and 4-11 in the Gulf South Conference. Christian Brothers is now 6-9 in conference and 14-18 overall.
In the first set, the Bulldogs and the Lady Bucs battled back and forth with 13 lead changes. CBU lead for at the beginning of the set, but they never took a capitalizing lead. Union made a four point run to take the lead 18-17 late in the set. The Bucs took back the lead at 22-20. The two teams went back and forth for the last points of the game, but Union came out on top with two consecutive kills from Abbie Rahn, ending the first set 19-27.
In the second set, the Bulldogs and the Bucs continued to battle evenly. With the score tied 9-9, Christian Brothers went on a 8-0 run, making the score 17-9. Union stopped the run, but they could not recover. The final score of the second set was 25-17.
The third set CBU took a 3-0 lead, but Union responded with a 4-0 run, making the score 4-3. Both teams continued even play, and it was not until late in the set that Union pulled away just enough to secure the win. The Bulldogs went on a 3-0 run making it 24-20, and a kill by Ceciley Blanchard finished the set 25-22.
Union started the last set ahead with a 7-4 lead, but CBU went on a 4-1 run that tied the set up 8-8. The Bulldogs quickly went ahead with a 6-0 run making the score 23-13. Ceciley Blanchard scored the last point of the game for the Bulldogs. The final score was 25-17.
"It is really good to win our last home game and playing our hardest, " said senior, Ceciley Blanchard.
Coach McClure added, "It feels really good to win. I am proud of the team. We have had some adversity lately with girls being sick, injured, and a death in the family. One of our girls came all the way back from Indiana to play tonight. Our girls love each other and play their hardest for each. That is a really good place for a coach to be. "
Union was lead by Abbie Rahn with 16 kills, and Katie O'Malley had 14 kills. Taylor Chiaro collected 20 digs, and Bre Carlton had 52 assists.
CBU was lead by Emma Lenoir with 20 kills, and Erica Maurer had 9 kills. Blythe Clausen collected 17 digs, and Alexa Henderson had 39 assists.
Up next for Union is their last game of the season against Mississippi College in Clinton, Miss. at 6 p.m. on November 9th.
-UNION-
