Phoenix rises over RedStorm

Rio Grande Sports Information
     LEBANON, Tenn. - Cumberland University used strong play at the net over each of the final two sets to pull away for a 3-1 (25-19, 17-25, 25-15, 25-20) victory over the University of Rio Grande, Thursday night, in Mid-South Conference men's volleyball action at the Dallas Floyd Recreation Center.
     The Phoenix improved to 1-4 overall and 1-1 in conference play with the win.
     Rio Grande slipped to 3-9 overall and 1-2 in the MSC as a result of the loss.
     The RedStorm rallied from an early 4-2 deficit in set two with three straight winners and never relinquished the lead en route to evening the match at 1-1.
     But the home team went to work over the final two stanzas, finishing with an attack percentage north of .400 in each of the final two sets to win going away.
     The Phoenix jumped to a 5-1 advantage in set three and were never headed, finishing with 15 kills and only four errors in 26 swings for a .423 attack percentage.
     Set four was a back-and-forth affair which saw Rio trail 21-20 after a dual block by sophomores Sam Winhoven (Pickerington, OH) and Tyler Miller-Bross (Loveland, OH), but Cumberland scored the final four points - two on kills and two on RedStorm errors - to close out the set and seal the match.
     The Phoenix had just four attack errors in the fourth set as well, tallying 16 kills and a .414 swing percentage.
     Cumberland finished with a .287 attack percentage for the match, recording 52 kills and 21 errors in 108 swings.
     Luka Ilic and Christian Lester had 14 and 10 kills, respectively, while Jordan Pierce had 39 assists in the winning effort. Ilic also had two service aces.
     Caleb Ginnings added three service aces and eight digs for the Phoenix, while Codville Rogers had four block assists.
     Junior Caden Donaldson (Jackson, OH) led Rio Grande with 13 kills and nine digs, while freshman Mitch Bartecki (New Lenox, IL) had 27 assists and a pair of service aces.
     Winhoven had a solo block and seven block assists for the RedStorm.
     Rio finished with a .156 attack percentage (33 kills, 19 errors, 90 attacks).
     The RedStorm is scheduled to return to action on Tuesday night when Thomas More University visits the Newt Oliver Arena for another MSC contest.
     First serve is set for 7 p.m.