NASHVILLE, Tennessee – In the third straight out-of-state match for the University of Alabama in Huntsville, the Chargers lost a five-set battle, 2-3, against Trevecca Nazarene in Gulf South Conference play.
To open Set 1, Trevecca (4-8, 2-1 GSC) took the initial 3-1 lead before UAH (10-2, 2-1) knotted the score and both sides began to evenly trade points. Neither side was able to pull away with more than a two-point lead until Trevecca pulled ahead for what proved to be the largest lead of the set, 14-10. The Chargers, however, battled back into contention before closing out the set on a 4-2 advantage to win Set 1, 25-23, with Ella Schumacher delivering the final kill.
The close score of Set 1 continued through the second set. In Set 2, though, the Chargers were the ones that pulled ahead midway through with a 12-6 lead punctuated by two kills from Mary Grace Bundrant, kills from Carlee Lowry and Calli Tanielu, and a service ace from Lowry. Mirroring the Chargers' comeback efforts in Set 1, the Trojans flipped the score to their advantage to take the set, 25-22.
Set 3 went in the favor of the Trojans early on as the host team went up 8-3 before UAH charged back on a 6-1 run to tie the score at 9-9. Again, neither side could escape the other until UAH began to build momentum with a 6-0 run that was highlighted with three straight combo blocks from Bundrant and Emily Redman as the Chargers took a 20-17 lead. Though Trevecca pushed the score close, a final kill from Kayla Ward closed out Set 3 in the Chargers' favor, 25-23, to move ahead 2-1.
The battle for the lead in the fourth set remained closely contested as UAH fell behind early on, 2-5, before bouncing back to tie the score, 6-6. From that point, both sides took turns with the lead, including UAH taking a 12-8 lead on a five-point run. Though the Chargers pushed Trevecca late into the set, the Trojans' 5-2 run to end the set leveled the score, 2-2, as Trevecca won Set 4, 25-22.
The pattern of the four previous contentious sets continued into the tiebreaking fifth. Trevecca earned the first two points, but UAH quickly responded with a 4-1 run to take a 4-3 lead. UAH closed in on the end of the set with a 6-2 run to push to match point, 14-12, but were unable to get the final point as Trevecca battled back to take the set and match with a 16-14 final set win.
IN THE STATS
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Cooper Garrett led the Chargers in kills with 14 while Carlee Lowry also reached double-digits with 12 of her own. Mary Grace Bundrant added another nine while Emily Redman and Emma Schumacher each notched six.
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Anna Clare Hutto and Garrett led UAH in assists with 25 and 20, respectively. This marks the third time this season the duo of Hutto and Garrett have both reached at least 20 assists in a match.
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Bundrant led the team in total blocks with 4.5 after adding seven assists to a solo stop. Both Redman and Garrett also added 2.5 blocks each.
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Brooklyn Stiles hit a season-high in digs with 33. Hutto added another 14 while Redman and Sydney Durban also hit double-digits with 11 digs each.
COMING UP
Following three straight road games, the Chargers return home Friday, Sept. 25, to continue GSC action at 6 p.m. against Montevallo.
