MEMPHIS-The Christian Brothers University Lady Bucs won the first two sets and served for match point in both the third set and the fifth set, but they dropped a five-set heartbreaker to Union Thursday night at Canale Arena.
HOW IT HAPPENED:• CBU (3-5, 0-2 GSC) jumped to leads of 7-1, 12-3 and 17-5 in the first set, holding on for a 25-19 win capped by a
Brinsley Cooper (Rossville, Ind./Rossville HS) kill.
• The Lady Bucs broke an 8-8 tie in the second set with six straight points to take a 14-8 lead en route to a 25-16 win.
• In the third set, neither team led by more than four points. CBU took a narrow 24-23 lead on an
Alexis Gillis (Corpus Christi, Texas/Carroll HS) kill, but Union (2-5, 1-0) answered with three straight points to take a 26-24 victory.
• The Lady Bulldogs jumped to early leads of 4-1 and 9-5 in the fourth set, appearing to have the set in hand as they led 22-16 after a Deja Moorer kill. The Lady Bucs answered with five straight points to close within 22-21 before Union scored three of the last four to win 25-22 and force a decisive fifth set.
• CBU took a quick 4-1 lead in the fifth set, but Union rallied to tie the set at 5, eventually taking a 9-8 lead. After the teams traded points, CBU scored three straight points to take a 13-11 lead on a
Marisa Wong (Germantown, Tenn./Houston HS) ace, but again Union answered with two straight to tie the set at 13. A Gillis kill gave CBU a 14-13 lead and a chance for match point, but Union scored the final three points of the match to claim a 16-14 victory.
KEY STATS:• Gillis pounded a match-high 20 kills with nine digs and four aces.
• Cooper rapped out 12 kills and hit .391.
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Mary Kathryn Miller (Fulton, Ky./Fulton City HS) had 10 kills.
• Wong notched a team-high 15 digs with two aces..
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Alexa Henderson (Prairie du Sac, Wis./Sauk Prairie HS) logged 12 digs.
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Demi Chipman (Bartlett, Tenn./Bartlett HS) had 10 digs and two aces.
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Jessica Reber (Byron, Ill./Byron HS) dished out 49 assists with eight digs, four kills and three aces.
WHAT'S NEXT:The Lady Bucs play their next two matches on the road. They visit Mississippi College Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m., and they visit Lee Tuesday afternoon at 4 p.m. Their next home match is Friday, Sept. 25, when they host Alabama Huntsville at 7 p.m.
