Williamsburg, KY – The 14th-ranked Cumberlands Volleyball team delivered a statement win in their home conference opener, sweeping (RV) Lindsey Wilson 3-0 (25-20, 25-18, 26-24) Tuesday night at UC Volleyball Gym. With the victory, the Patriots improve to 16-0 overall and 2-0 in Mid-South Conference play, while the Blue Raiders drop to 15-4 and 1-1.
Cumberlands posted a balanced attack with four players recording at least six kills, led by Sara Zampedri's 15 kills and 16.5 points. Brynnley Bryant chipped in 10 kills and nine digs, while Alana Shiery added eight kills on a .375 clip. Setter Savanah Jolly turned in a stellar all-around performance, handing out 32 assists to go along with six kills on .545 hitting and a season-high 24 digs.
The Patriots defense was equally impressive, tallying 69 digs and eight blocks while limiting Lindsey Wilson to a .154 hitting percentage. Kara Gipson anchored the net with six kills and three blocks, while Davey Slaughter tallied 13 digs in the back row.
The opening set featured 11 ties and six lead changes as both teams traded points in the early going. Lindsey Wilson led 16-15 midway through before kills from Bryant and Zampedri gave UC the edge. With the score tied at 19-19, the Patriots closed on a 6-1 run behind back-to-back kills from Zampedri and a key block from Gipson to seal the 25-20 win.
In the second frame, Cumberlands set the tone early by jumping out to an 8-3 advantage, fueled by kills from Shiery and Jolly. The Blue Raiders clawed back to within two at 14-12, but UC answered with a 5-1 spurt, highlighted by a Bryant kill and an ace from Zampedri. The Patriots' offense clicked down the stretch, hitting .222 in the set, and a Shiery kill capped a 25-18 victory to give UC the 2-0 lead.
The third set was the most dramatic of the night as neither team led by more than three points. Lindsey Wilson gained the upper hand late, earning set point at 24-23. With the match on the line, Jolly set up Zampedri for a clutch kill to tie it, then Bryant followed with another swing to push UC ahead. The Patriots sealed the sweep on the next rally as Gipson and Fischer combined for a block at the net to win 26-24.
Cumberlands will have a week off before returning to the court next Tuesday September 30th as they continue conference play with a matchup at Georgetown College. The match is set to begin at 7 p.m. ET.
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