The Lady Bruins came from behind to force a fifth set, but it wasn't enough as the team fell to Truett-McConnell University 3-2 in Cleveland, Georgia on Tuesday night in the opening scrimmage of the preseason.
"We went with a variety of lineups and looks tonight as we begin the preseason," Bruins Head Coach Vickie Denny said. "I thought we had moments where we played exceptionally well and several players contributed throughout the match."
It has been a little over a week since the team reported for preseason training camp. During this time, the Bruins have been working hard in practice with the coaching staff trying out different player combinations and strategies. On Tuesday, it was time to face some real competition as they faced off against the Bears. TMU had opened their season with a 3-0 sweep of Brewton-Parker College on Saturday.
Both teams looked for the upper hand as the match began with neither team able to build a sizable lead. The Bruins had a good offensive rhythm as they executed several kills to keep the score close. Each point was met with a response from the Bears as the neared the end of the first set. Truett-McConnell rode the play of freshman Bethany Ross who finished the night with 16 kills as the Bears took set one 25-22.
Coach Denny switched up the offense in the second set and the team responded in a big way. Katherine Ring sparked the team with four blocks in the set and Rachel Williams added five kills as the Bruins roared back to take set two decisively 25-15.
Another nail-biter went the way of the Bears in the third set as the Bruins had several costly defensive errors. The Bears made the plays when it mattered most as they took set three 25-22 and led the match 2-1.
The Bears continued to ride momentum as they looked to close out the Bruins. After gaining a six-point lead, the Bears closed in to win the match. But the Bruins weren't ready to go home yet as they came back strong behind a great serve rally by Lauren Mukenschnabl and stellar defensive play from Saleena Walker. The Bruins rallied to overtake the Bears and win the set 25-18 to force a fifth and final set.
In the final frame, the Bruins struggled out of the gate and were never able to recover as the Bears cruised to a 15-3 win in the final set to win the match 3-2.
"We have a lot more depth and experience this year which is going to be big for us as we head into the season," Coach Denny said. "Overall, I was pleased with our effort tonight having only been together for a week of practice."
Katherine Ring led the Bruins with 11 kills and 5 solo blocks while newcomer Courtney Bates added 10 kills in her debut with the team. Bates also had 10 digs in a well-rounded match. Rachel Williams led the Bruins with 29 assists while Saleena Walker led with 17 digs in the match. Next up, the Bruins will be back in action tomorrow in Tennessee as they play at tri-match against Covenant College and Bryan College.
