Box Score
With the final four already set for the semifinal round, what was left to be decided would be which teams would play each other. The #4 seeded Bruins battled #1 seeded Kentucky Christian University to a 3-1 loss on Friday afternoon in the final pool play match. The Bruins will now face #3 Maranatha Baptist University at 7:30 p.m. in the semifinal round. In the other semifinal, #1 Kentucky Christian University will battle #2 Randall University.
"We played a very talented, well balanced Kentucky team today," Bruins Head Coach Vickie Denny said. "While I thought we put up a good match, it wasn't our best effort and we had great difficulty getting anything going on the offensive side. While serve receive has been one of our strengths this season, KCU totally took us out of our offense and we struggled the whole match."
In the opening set, the Knights got off to a fast 6-2 lead in the first set after a double hit was charged to the Bruins. The Knights quickly put up 10 points and forced the Bruins to call a timeout while trailing 10-5. The Knights continued to put up a dominating effort against the Bruins until a block and a kill by Rachel Tubbs brought the Bruins within four at 17-13. A kill by Erin Jarvis narrowed the Knights' lead to two at 18-16. However, the Knights went on a powerful 7-0 run to capture the set 25-16.
Knowing that they had to answer the Knights, the Bruins responded with a much closer second set. A kill and a block by Katherine Ring along with an error on the Knights kept the set tied early at 5-5. A kill by Marjorie Elliott and a wide attack by KCU tied the set again at 8-8. Both teams exchanged points until a kill by Jarvis extended the Bruins lead 15-12. The Knights went on a 3-0 run and the set became tied again at 16-16 after an unforced error on Saleena Walker. The Bruins rebounded from the unforced error with a 3-0 run to lead 19-16. However, the Knights answered with a 3-0 run of their own to force another tie at 19 apiece. The Knights called a timeout after the Bruins went on another 3-0 run behind a block by Gaston and Elliott and a wide attack on the Knights. Now trailing 22-19, the Knights were able to answer the Bruins with several kills and they managed to lead the set into a tie at 24-24 to force extra points. The set tied again at 25, 26, 27, and 28 before the Bruins were able to use a block by Tubbs to win the set 31-29.
After winning in extra points, the Bruins knew that the momentum was on their side entering the third set. The Knights came prepared and took off to a quick 6-3 lead over the Bruins. The Bruins clawed their way back and two consecutive kills by Jarvis cut the Bruins' deficit to one at 10-9. The set played out very similarly to the second set, with several ties and lead changes throughout. Kills by Ring and Tubbs helped the Bruins tie the Knights at 18-18. KCU managed to get a 24-21 lead over the Bruins at the end of the set but the Bruins fought hard as they attempted to narrow the gap. However, a service error on the Bruins ended the set with a 25-23 Knights victory. With the win, KCU led the match 2-1.
The Bruins now faced a critical fourth set and KCU started strong from the beginning as they jumped to a quick 7-2 lead. The Bruins were forced to call a timeout after Tubbs was blocked and put the Bruins down 9-3. The Knights continued to run the set and the Bruins caught a small break after a four hit violation was called on the Knights. The Bruins were able to rebound despite the deficit and Gaston was able land an ace, which cut the Knights lead down to six at 14-8. The Bruins were able to cut into the lead, but the Knights still held the upper hand 20-14. Despite an ace by Lauren Muckenschnabl, the Bruins were unable to rebound as an attack error on Muckenschnabl ended the set with a 25-18 Knights victory and the match 3-1.
"We had played them earlier in the season and they beat us three straight so I am glad we were able to play a little better this time around but disappointed we couldn't put up a better match," Coach Denny said.
Laura Gaston led the Bruins with 9 kills while Katherine Ring and Rachel Tubbs each finished with 7. The Bruins will faceoff against Maranatha Baptist University at 7:30 p.m. with a trip to the National Championship on the line.
