The Bruins suffered back to back tough losses on Saturday afternoon as the team fell to Milligan University 3-0 and Truett-McConnell University 3-1. With the losses, the Bruins fall to 18-8 on the season.
"We knew we were going to be facing some good competition today," Bruins Head Coach Vickie Denny said. "For the most part, I was pleased with our effort. While being much shorter with a limited bench than the other teams, our players showed a lot of heart and really battled throughout both matches."
The Bruins came into the Saturday tri-match on the heels of having their 11-match winning streak snapped on Friday night in a 3-2 loss to region rival Toccoa Falls College in Toccoa, Georgia. The Bruins were hoping to bounce back after that tough loss but knew they would have a tall task in front of them as they took on Milligan and Truett-McConnell on Saturday.
In the first match of the day, the Bruins would be paired with the Milligan Buffaloes. Milligan came into the match at 13-10 on the season but entered the weekend on the heels of back to back losses.
The Buffaloes came out strong in the opening set as the team jumped out to a 5-1 lead over BJU. The Bruins battled back as Timbre Cruz made a kill and Eden Swihart an ace to eventually tie the set at 11-11.
Later on in the set, the Bruins took the lead as a kill from Katherine Hoopes made it 17-15. Unfortunately, the Buffaloes would go on a 5-0 run and used that momentum to carry them to a 25-19 win in set one.
The Bruins came out looking to even the match in set two as the two teams traded points and the lead early on. After a kill from Kiersten Hoopes, the Bruins led 11-8. Again, the Buffaloes were able to rattle off five-straight points but the Bruins were able to stop the rally with a kill from Timbre Cruz as BJU trailed 17-16. From there, the Buffaloes scored five-straight again and held off a late Bruins rally as they took a 2-0 lead in the match with a 25-21 win in set two.
Milligan had grabbed momentum and they carried it into the third set as the team jumped out to a 7-0 lead. The Bruins tried to battle back but the team continued to have key errors which stopped their momentum as the Buffaloes led 16-6. Although the Bruins would cut into the deficit, the gap proved to be too much to overcome as the Bruins fell 25-16 in the set to lose the match 3-0.
The Bruins mustered just 24 kills as a team in the match with Faith Blalock leading the way with 8 while Timbre Cruz had 16 digs. Kiersten Hoopes finished the match with 18 assists.
After a short break, the Bruins were back on the court as they looked to end the weekend with a win. The Bruins would face Truett-McConnell University who had dropped a match to Milligan in the first match of the day.
In the opening set, the Bears would come out strong as a pair of kills from Katie Williams helped TMU lead 7-3. The Bruins regrouped and began to battle back eventually tying the set at 12-12.
From there, the two teams went back and forth trading points with four different ties throughout the remainder of the set. After a kill from Emma Riddle made it 22-22, the Bruins were able to get the next three points as they took set one 25-22.
Set two remained close throughout as the Bruins and Bears went back and forth exhanging points and the lead. Near the midway point of the set, the Bears went on a 6-1 run which pushed their lead to 17-10. Errors plagued the Bruins which allowed the Bears to pull away as TMU evened the match 1-1 with a 25-14 win in set two.
The Bruins responded well in the early stages of the third set as a kill from Emma Riddle helped the team lead 6-2. The Bears battled back but the Bruins continued to make key plays to keep a slim lead. Near the midway point of the set, an error by the Bears gave the Bruins a 16-10 lead as BJU looked to gain the lead in the match.
Instead, the Bears battled all the way back as an ace from Macy Boggs tied the set at 18-18. From there, the Bears rode their momentum as a kill from Leah Bowen and an ace from Deomi Valmus completed the comeback as TMU won set three 25-23 to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
The Bruins had suffered a tough loss in set three, but came out looking to push the match to a fifth set. The Bruins kept pace with the Bears but TMU continued to maintain a slim lead thanks to kills from Elizabeth Franklin and company.
After a kill from Ranavia Neal, the Bears pushed their lead to 14-8 forcing the Bruins to call a timeout. Truett-McConnell continued to build their lead as a kill from Franklin put the Bears up 19-12. It looked as though the Bruins hopes were slipping away but the team went on an 8-1 run to battle all the way back as a kill from Katherine Hoopes tied the set at 21-21.
The Bears would get the next two points to lead 23-21 before the Bruins called a timeout. Out of the timeout, kills from Katherine Hoopes and Timbre Cruz tied the set at 23-23 as the Bruins looked to force a fifth set. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be as the Bears picked up a pair of kills to finish off the Bruins 25-23 and win the match 3-1.
"What we lacked in offense, we picked up on defensive with some incredible defensive saves today," Coach Denny said. "We had opportunities but just came up short."
Katherine Hoopes led the Bruins with a double-double 14 kills and 15 digs in the match. Hoopes was one of five players to record double-digit digs for the team with Katelyn Landkrohn leading the way with 16 in the match. Kiersten Hoopes finished with 30 assists as the Bruins fell to 18-8 on the season.
Next up, the Bruins will be on the road again on Thursday as the team battles Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer, North Carolina.
