CLEVELAND — The Truett McConnell volleyball team engaged in a battle with Reinhardt Tuesday night in The Bear Cave and pulled out a five-set thriller, 25-22, 21-25, 25-21, 22-25, 15-13. The Bears improved to 8-6 overall and 3-6 in league play.
The Eagles jumped out to a quick 10-4 lead in the first set behind five straight TMU errors, but the Bears battled back after falling behind 20-13, scoring eight straight points to take a 21-20 lead. Zykeria Allen had five kills during the 8-0 Bear run. The Bears scored four of the final six points to take the first set.
The Bears were the ones to jump out to a quick lead in the second set, leading 12-4 before Reinhardt made their run. With the Bears leading 21-13, the Eagles scored the final 12 points of the set to take a 25-21 second set win.
After a tightly contested third set where both teams held minimal leads before TMU won the set, Reinhardt responded in the fourth with a 7-1 lead to start the set. The Bears fought back to take a 17-16 lead, but the Eagles ultimately forced the fifth and deciding set.
The two sides went back and forth the entire set, but it was an Eagle hit out of bounds that won the thriller for the Bears.
Georgia Martin finished with 30 digs on the night, while Keri King finished with 20 kills. Allen notched her second double-double of the season, recording 17 kills and 22 digs. Hannah Simpson finished with 14 kills and Kendall Hardy had 10 in the five-set match.
The Bears will next take on Toccoa Falls on High School Night in the Bear Cave Thursday at 7 p.m. High school volleyball players get in free while wearing their jersey to the match.
