JACKSON, Tenn. — Union volleyball closed out the Union Volleyball Classic at Fred DeLay Gymnasium with two hard-fought four-set losses, falling 3-1 to both Upper Iowa and Tusculum to finish the tournament at 2-2. In both matches, Union built an early lead or won the opening set outright, only to see the momentum swing the other way for good.
Union came out of the gates hot, stealing the first set 25-20 behind a balanced attack and a red-hot Carly Edwards. But Upper Iowa answered emphatically, rattling off a 25-12 rout in set two and never really letting Union back into the driver's seat.
Edwards was the story of the match for Union, hammering 14 kills against just 2 errors on 29 swings (.414) for a team-high 17 points. Setter Kylie Creech ran the offense efficiently, dishing out 22 assists, while Parker Goff added 10 kills. Carleigh Charles was Union's defensive anchor on the perimeter, piling up 31 reception attempts at a .912 clip to go with 9 kills, and libero Isabella Messer led all players with 20 digs.
Union actually rallied in the fourth set, clawing back from a 6-15 deficit to pull within 23-24, but a late attack error sealed a 25-23 finish and the match for Upper Iowa. Union was out blocked 5-5 and hit just .119 as a team compared to Upper Iowa's .242.
The nightcap followed a similar script. Union dropped the first two sets to Tusculum before finding its footing in set three, using a strong finish to escape with a 25-20 win and stay alive. Set four, however, belonged entirely to Tusculum, who pulled away for a 25-13 finish to close out the match.
Carleigh Charles led Union's offense with 13 kills and 19 digs, while Elizabeth Gilbert added 8 kills and set the tone defensively with 37 reception attempts at a .949 clip. Carly Edwards was steady again with 8 kills, and Julia Stuible was Union's most efficient hitter of the night, going 6-for-8 with no errors for a .750 attack percentage. Creech ran the offense with 36 assists, and Messer paced the defense with 15 digs.
Tusculum's Mackenzie Land and Karris Oller combined for 16 kills and caused problems for Union's back row all night, while a red-hot fourth-set service run put the match away.
Following the classic, the all-tournament team was announced. Karris Oller (Tusculum) (Most Outstanding Player), Carleigh Charles (Union), Kailey Porter (Upper Iowa), Chelsea Daffin (AUM), and Andrijana Cicvaric (Lane) were honored.
The Lady Bulldogs will go on the road to compete in the Reddie-Tiger Invitational, starting off with UT Tyler. To follow along, find coverage at uuathletics.com/coverage.
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