JACKSON, Tenn.-Host Union handed the Christian Brothers University Lady Bucs a four-set loss Tuesday night in their final road match of the season.
Union 3, CBU 1 (29-27, 17-25, 25-22, 25-17):
HOW IT HAPPENED:
• The first set was back-and-forth throughout, with 12 ties, five lead changes and no lead of more than three points. CBU (14-18, 6-9 GSC) used an early 5-1 run to open a 7-4 lead on a
Kapria Manning (Olive Branch, Miss./Center Hill HS) kill, but Union (14-16, 4-11) would eventually regain the lead with a four-point run that put them ahead 18-17. CBU scored three straight, capped by an
Erica Maurer (St. Louis, Mo./Ursuline Academy) kill to take a 22-20 edge, but Union rallied to tie it at 23. CBU served for set point twice, ahead 25-24 and then 26-25, before the Lady Bulldogs closed the set with four of the last five points to win 29-27.
• An eight-point run in the middle of the second set let CBU pull away to a 17-9 lead in what had been a close set.
Alexa Henderson (Prairie du Sac, Wis./Sauk Prairie HS) had two aces in the run, which was capped by a double-block from Maurer and
Mary Kathryn Miller (Fulton, Ky./Fulton City HS). Union drew as close as 21-16 before the Lady Bucs closed out a 25-17 win by scoring four of the last five.
• The third set also saw the teams trade early leads before a run broke a 9-9 tie. This time, it was Union scoring three straight to take a 12-9 lead they would not relinquish. The Lady Bucs came within one point six times, as late as 21-20, but Union held on for the 25-22 win.
• Union broke a 10-10 tie in the fourth set with a 5-1 run, and a later 6-0 run let them stretch out a 23-13 lead en route to a 25-17 win to clinch the match.
KEY STATS:
•
Emma Lenoir (Chattanooga, Tenn./East Hamilton HS) hit .300 as she pounded a match-best 20 kills with eight digs.
• Henderson dished out 39 assists with 10 digs, four aces and two blocks.
• Maurer hit .304 with nine kills.
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Blythe Clausen (Hendersonvile, Tenn./Pope John Paul II HS) amassed a match-best 17 digs with four assists.
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Ke'alohilani Wong (Honolulu, Hawaii/Kamehameha HS) notched 15 digs.
• Manning added eight kills with seven digs.
WHAT'S NEXT:
The Lady Bucs wrap up the 2017 campaign Saturday night at 6 p.m. as they host Auburn-Montgomery for Senior Night.