Box Score Bowling Green, KY –  The UC volleyball team rallied from two sets back to force a fifth set before falling in their second match of The Vette City Classic against Shawnee State 3-2 (13-25, 25-27, 25-22, 25-16, 13-15) Saturday morning. With the loss, Cumberlands is now 1-3 on the year.

Once again, Savannah Schwarz had another big game for the Patriots matching her career-high in assists with 50, while also contributing 10 digs and two blocks. In her first game of the spring season, Lily Chapman led all Patriots hitters with 19 kills, six digs, and two blocks. Emily Prewitt also made her presence known for UC as she chipped in 14 kills and three blocks.

The first set of the game was tough for Cumberlands as they dropped it 13-25, but battled back in the second. Shawnee State started the set off with a 6-2 run that was eventually halted by a Schwarz set that let Chapman rise up and get the kill to lessen the deficit to 3-6. After trading points continuously throughout the set, Cumberlands was eventually able to tie it up at 24-24 with a kill by Schwarz. However, this was not enough as Shawnee State ended the set with a kill by Madison Rowe to go up 2-0 in the game.

Even though Cumberlands struggled in the beginning of the third set, they continued to battled. Back-to-back kills by Shelby Lackey and Chapman cut into the Bears lead to make it 15-18, and this sparked the Patriots comeback. From that point on, UC went on a 6-1 run to take the 21-19 edge with a kill by Chapman. With another assist by Schwarz, Ashely Sobocinski finished the set off for Cumberlands with a kill of her own to take the third set at 25-22.

Continuing with the momentum from the third set, the Patriots fought hard in the start of the fourth set. UC traded points with the Bears until a kill by Prewitt gave them the lead at 11-10. The offense seemed to come alive for Cumberlands after that as they went 11-4 run highlighted with a kill by Chapman to widen the lead to 21-14. Following an attack error by Shawnee State, the Patriots were able to take the fourth set 25-16 to force a decisive fifth set.

The start of fifth and final set of the game did not bode well for UC as the Bears went on a 9-3 run, but the Patriots did not give up. Cumberlands came back strong and went on an 8-2 run spearheaded by a Schwarz set for a Chapman kill that evened the score up at 11-11. Although, a series of errors committed by the Patriots would finish the set at 13-15 and let Shawnee State walk away with the 3-2 win.

For their next tournament, UC will head to New Orleans for The Big Easy Blastoff. Cumberlands will face Our Lady of the Lake and Mississippi University for Women on February 5 at 1:00 and 4:00 P.M., and then Faulkner and Xavier (LA) on February 6 at 10:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M.

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