The Bruins volleyball team got back to their winning ways on Thursday evening as the team captured a 3-1 road victory over Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer, North Carolina. With the win, the Bruins snap a three-match losing skid as the team improved to 19-8 on the season.
"I am extremely thankful for how this team has regrouped after a tough week for us last week" Bruins Head Volleyball Coach Vickie Denny said. "We are playing some good volleyball right now and different players contributed in different ways tonight to get this win."
The Bruins came into the match on the heels of a tough week as the team saw their 11-match winning streak snapped in a road region loss to Toccoa Falls on Friday before falling in back to back matches of a Saturday tri-match.
The team was determined to get back on track as they traveled to Pfeiffer on Thursday night. The Falcons came into the match at 6-18 on the season following a loss to William Peace University on Tuesday. The Bruins and Falcons met earlier in the season with the Bruins winning 3-0 in Greenville. The Bruins were hoping for a similar result as they took the court.
In the opening set, the two teams went back and forth trading points before kills from Mattie Burris and Mattie Hinson helped the Falcons jump out to a 10-5 lead. The Bruins started to chip away at the lead but the Falcons continued to keep the Bruins at bay as a kill from Haedyn McGrath made it 19-13 in favor of Pfeiffer.
It looked as though the Falcons would take the opening set but the Bruins had other plans as the team came roaring back on a 5-0 run to battle back and tie the set at 20-20. The Bruins had grabbed momentum and after kills from Kyra Rickard and Katherine Hoopes, the team completed the comeback as they went on to shock the Falcons and win set one 25-23.
The Bruins had found their rhythm and carried it over into the second set as the team was able to build a 7-4 lead. Four-straight points by the Bruins near the midway point of the set increased the lead to 15-9 but the Falcons continued to remain within striking distance. The Bruins played well in the late stages of the set as a pair of kills from Timbre Cruz handed the Bruins a 25-18 win in the set and a 2-0 lead in the match.
In the third set, the Bruins came out looking for the sweep but the hometown Falcons had other plans as the score remained close early on. The Bruins then went on a 6-0 run to take a 12-8 lead as the team was fueled by a pair of aces from Kiersten Hoopes and a kill from Katherine Hoopes.
The Falcons answered back with runs of their own as the two teams eventually tied at 19-19. Katherine Hoopes provided a pair of kills for the Bruins as it looked like the team would complete the sweep but the Falcons roared back with four-straight points as they went on to win set three 25-22.
In set four, the re-energized Falcons came out and took an early lead. The Bruins responded well as a 6-0 run gave the team a 12-9 advantage. The Falcons would answer back with a run of their own as the teams went back and forth trading points and the lead eventually drawing even at 18-18.
The Bruins refused to be denied the win as the team closed the fourth set scoring five-straight points as Kyra Rickard hammered home a kill to win the set 25-19 and the match 3-1.
"Pfeiffer is much better than their record shows and they pushed us tonight," Coach Denny said. "There were great plays both offensively and defensively for both teams and it was just a great volleyball match all around."
Three different players recorded double-digit kills for the Bruins with Katherine Hoopes leading the way with an impressive 17 kills in the win while Kyra Rickard and Timbre Cruz each finished with 10. Kiersten Hoopes had 48 assists while Katelyn Landkrohn led the way with 11 digs.
Next up, the Bruins will be on the road again this weekend as the teams play a Saturday tri-match in Knoxville, Tennessee against Bluefield College and Johnson University (TN).
