Lebanon, TN – The UC volleyball team had three players record double-doubles as UC knocked off Cumberland 3-1 (22-25, 25-18, 25-21, 25-19) Friday night at Dallas Floyd Arena.  With the win, the Patriots improve to 13-7 overall and 3-1 in conference play, while the Phoenix move to 12-12 overall and 3-1 against the MSC.

Allyson Grava led the way with 14 kills and 14 digs, while Sara Zampedri notched 13 kills to go along with 10 digs.  Kara Gipson added ten kills and three blocks as Danielle Jackson chipped in seven kills and two blocks.  Kendall Arnold notched a team-high 17 digs and 37 assists and Juliet Banks finished with 13 digs.

Kara Gipson earned back-to-back kills for the Patriots before Juliet Banks notched an ace to give UC a 4-1 advantage in the first set. Cumberland evened the score before Kendall Arnold connected with Allyson Grava for a kill to put the Patriots in front 5-4.  The two teams trade points until a kill from Sara Zampedri extend UC's lead to 9-6.  Zampedri and Grava each added a kill over the next couple points to have a 12-9 advantage.  The Phoenix tallied five straight points, before a kill Grava recorded a pair of kills couple with a Savanah Jolly ace to tie the match at 15-15.  The two teams traded points until the Phoenix went on a 4-1 run to take a 22-19 lead.  A block and a kill from Danielle Jackson pulled the Pats within the point, however, that's the closest they got as the Phoenix took the first set 25-22.

UC opened the second set with a 4-1 advantage as Jolly notched her second ace of the day.  After the Phoenix tied the score, a long rally led to a Grava kill putting the Patriots back in front.  The match was tied twice, before a Gipson kill sparked a seven-point Patriot run that included two kills from Gipson and an ace from Arnold to make it 17-10.   Arnold dished out three assists, including one to Zampedri to close out the set 25-18 and even the score at 1-1.

The Phoenix jumped out to a 6-3 lead in the third set, before three Grava, Zampedri, and Jackson each tallied a kill to even the score.  Both teams traded points until a kill from Gipson cut the deficit to 13-11. Two points later, Jolly notched consecutive aces to give UC a 15-14 edge.  The Phoenix went on a 5-1 run, before Arnold connected with Zampedri for a kill to spark a four-point run that including a kill from Rylie Dupue as UC took a 20-19 lead.  Cumberlands closed out the set with a four-point run capped off with an ace from Zampedri to take the set 25-21 and the 2-1 lead.

Grava starting things in the fourth set with a kill as UC took a 3-0 advantage.  The two teams traded points until Gipson notch back-to-back kills to take an 11-6 edge.  After a three-point Phoenix run, Anna Blumeier capped off a Patriots three-point run extending the lead to 14-9.  Two points later, Blumeier and Gipson combined for a block to spark a 5-2 Patriots run to make it 19-13.  UC continued to chip away until Arnold connected with Grava for clinching point of the match as the Patriots took the set 25-19 and the match 3-1.

Cumberlands finished with nine aces in the match, including four from Jolly, to mark the fourth straight match that UC has tallied at least seven aces. 

The Patriots return to the court Saturday, September 30, when they travel to Jackson, TN for a tri-match with Ouachita Baptist and Lane College.  First serve for UC tomorrow is 4 p.m.

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