The Lady Bruins added to the best start in their program history on Saturday as the team moved to 9-0 on the season and 4-0 in region play with back to back sweeps over Pensacola Christian College and Johnson University of Florida in Jacksonville, Florida. The team is a perfect 27-0 in sets played this season, but today's matches would be the toughest the team has faced this year.
In their first match of the day, the Bruins took a little time to wake-up as the Eagles jumped out to an 8-2 lead in set one. After a timeout by Coach Denny, the Bruins would score the next ten points to take a 12-8 lead. Erin Jarvis, Katherine Ring, and Brooke Beaver controlled the net while the dominant serving of Lauren Mukenschnabl kept the Eagles offense chasing after errant passes. After a point by PCC, Beaver would record two aces and a kill to help extend the advantage to 16-9. The Eagles would claw back into the set scoring six of the next seven points to close within 17-15. A Gaston kill sandwiched around two PCC hitting errors extended the lead back to 20-15. The Eagles would call another time out and score eight of the next eleven points to draw even at 23 all. However, a Beaver kill and a Gaston ace would secure a set one victory for BJU.
The second set would commence almost identical to the first with PCC controlling play and building a 12-3 advantage. This time Coach Denny trusted her players to dig themselves out of their hole, and they did not disappoint. Behind the serving of Gaston and Beaver, the Bruins would score 15 of the next 16 points to claim an 18-13 lead. The Eagles would control the net during the next part of the set closing the gap to a one point Bruins lead at 19-18. Once again, exceptional serving by Rachel Williams kept PCC on their heels leading the Bruins to a 25-19 second set triumph.
The gym was alive and the action tense for the third set. Neither team could establish a commanding lead, as the two teams were tied 5-5. A mini 7-2 run gave the Eagles a 12-7 advantage. The two rivals would battle at the net and trade points until a 6-0 spurt that included two blocks by Gaston and one by Williams gave BJU an 18-15 advantage. However, PCC would come storming back five in a row themselves to regain a two-point lead. The Bruins would respond well to the pressure situation by taking seven of the last ten points to continue their perfect season with a 25-23 victory.
"This was our first pressure match of the season," Bruins Head Coach Vickie Denny said. "The ladies did a great job of responding. They fought through some of the holes we put ourselves in with many different people contributing."
In their fourth NCCAA South region match of the weekend, the Bruins stayed perfect on the season winning 25-12, 25-23, and 25-21 over Johnson University. Unlike the match against PCC, BJU jumped out quickly 15-5 over the Suns in the opening set. The combination net play of Bates, Beaver, Ring, and Williams proved too strong for the Suns defense. A few mental lapses by the Bruins defense contributed to the lead being cut to five, but that would be as close as the Suns would get in the first set as BJU would close out on a 10-2 run to win 25-12.
Entering the second set, Johnson University knew the Bruins were playing their fifth set of the day and used that to their advantage making the Bruins scramble. Two Brooke Beaver kills along with one by Williams gave the Bruins their biggest advantage of the set 16-11; however, the Suns' hitters started finding holes in the Bruins defense to cut the lead to only one at 23-22. A Gaston service ace put the Bruins back up by two; however, a service error made it 24-23. On the ensuing Suns serve, the Bruins would set their most reliable hitter all day, and Beaver would not disappoint with a powerful kill down the line to secure a second set victory.
The Bruins came out firing in set three as Beaver and Gaston recorded aces to help BJU build a 6-1 lead. The two division foes would then trade points back and forth during the middle of the set until the score stood at 18-13. The Suns would not be extinguished quietly however as they took advantage of the Bruins fatigue and cut the gap to 22-21. After a timeout by Coach Denny, a Jamie Grimes kill followed by a Ring block helped the momentum swing back to the Bruins and they would finish with a 25-21 victory.
It was an impressive display all weekend long by the Bruins as the team was able to battle through adversity to remain perfect on the season. The Bruins will return home for back to back region matches this week. Next up, the Bruins will welcome Toccoa Falls College to the Davis Field House on Tuesday night.
