The Bruins volleyball team picked up another victory on Tuesday night as the team defeated Piedmont University 3-1 in Demorest, Georgia. With the win, the Bruins improve to 10-5 on the season having won nine of their last ten games.
"I am so proud of this team and how they have demonstrated strong character these past few weeks despite great difficulties," Head Coach Vickie Denny said. "Other teams may have folded but our players just keep showing up and giving me everything they have to give. That was the case again tonight."
The Bruins came into the match on the heels of a great weekend as the team went 4-1 against a strong field of competition. The team was back on the road again Tuesday as they faced the Lions who came into the match at 0-7 on the season.
In the first set, the two teams went back and forth early on with neither able to build a sizable lead. The score remained close near the midway point of the set before the Bruins scored three straight capped off by a kill from Kyra Rickard as the team led 18-17.
The Lions came right back with a 5-0 run increasing their lead to 22-18 and forcing the Bruins into a timeout. Although the Bruins would notch back to back points out of the timeout, the Lions would go on to edge the Bruins 25-20 in set one.
In the second set, the Lions carried the momentum as they jumped out to an early 5-1 lead. The Bruins battled back as kills from Faith Blalock, Emma Riddle, and Timbre Cruz helped the team eventually tie the set at 11-11.
The Bruins then went on a 5-0 run to take the lead but the Lions closed the game with kills from Jessica Sconyers and Hannah Kate Chadwell. The Bruins were able to even the match as they scored four-straight points to end the set 25-20.
Set three again was close in the early stages with each team trading points and the lead. The Bruins then got back to back kills from Kyra Rickard and an ace from Emma Riddle as the team led 10-8. Another run late in the set helped the Bruins gain the upper hand and the team went on to win set three 25-20 to lead 2-1.
Momentum had swung in the Bruins favor and it showed in set four as the team jumped out to an easly 7-3 lead. The Lions tried to slow the Bruins but BJU kept the pressure on as they increased their lead 16-9. The Lions tried to mount one last rally to force a fifth set but the Bruins wouldn't be denied as they went on to win the set 25-16 and the match 3-1.
"Early in the match it took some time to find our offensive rhythm but as the game continued we just played better and better," Coach Denny said. "Our middles were unstoppable and created a lot of scoring opportunities and defensively we got some big stops as well."
Four players recorded double-digit kills for the Bruins with Faith Blalock leading the way with 16 kills on the night. Kiersten Hoopes finished with 46 assists and 13 digs while Timbre Cruz and Katelyn Landkrohn combined for 51 of the team's 88 digs on the night.
Next up, the Bruins will be on the road again on Thursday night as the team faces Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte, North Carolina.
