Volleyball Drops Five-set Thriller at Home to TWU

COLUMBIA, S.C. - The Columbia College volleyball team put on a terrific showing on Saturday taking the 4th place team in the conference, Tennessee Wesleyan, all the way down to the wire before falling in a heartbreaking fifth set, 15-13 from the Godbold Center.

CC rallied to squeak out a set one win 25-23 forcing TWU into 11 attack errors. TW then controlled the second set to take it 25-20. The third set was tight and back-and-forth throughout before going to extra points with the Bulldogs pulling out the third set win 26-24 on 15 kills while CC posted 14 in the third. Columbia then rallied back to steal the fourth set 25-22 on just 8 kills.

The teams were close throughout the 5th set with CC taking the 8-7 lead as the teams switched sides. TWU then went on a 5-1 run to take a 12-9 lead before the teams traded points with CC, unfortunately, not able to tie the match before falling 15-13.

Columbia totaled 49 kills in the match led by 13 from senior middle Destiny Brown as she hit .348 while also recording six blocks to reach 111 blocks in her career. Junior OH Maranda Bird also tallied 13 kills while notching 14 digs, 2 aces and 2 blocks for a double-double.

The setting duo of Debra Shephard and Leticia Assen also each posted double-doubles with Shephard registering 26 assists and 12 digs while Assen had 20 assists, 10 digs and an ace. Sophomore libero Katie Roberts led the team defensively recording 17 digs with three aces and an assist while sophomore OH Tamia Fripp put up nine kills and 4 digs to hit .154.

The freshmen right side hitting duo of Kameron Turner and Lilly Almada also combined for 12 kills while Almada posted 3 blocks, a dig and an assist.

TWU improves to 15-6 overall and 7-2 in the conference while Columbia falls to 3-16 and 3-7 in the AAC. The Koalas will next travel to Georgia to battle the top team in the conference, Reinhardt on Tuesday at 6:30 pm.