The University of Mary Washington volleyball team came up just short in the CAC championship game against CNU, 3-2, on Saturday evening in Ron Rosner Arena. The Eagles fell down two sets to none, but then rallied to win the next two before falling 15-13 in the fifth set. The Eagles are now 20-11 on the season.
In set one, UMW was slow out of the gates as they went down 8-3. A block by Alana Harris brought the Eagles within three, 9-6. CNU re-upped their lead to five, 13-8 on a kill. After a block by Wren Berry and Harris, the Eagles got within one point, 13-12. The two teams traded points, and CNU held an 18-17 lead. After the Captains earned a five point advantage, 22-17, the Eagles rallied and tied the game up 22-22 after two straight kills by Peyton Dunow. CNU earned the victory in the first set as they won 26-24 on a block.
The Captains came out hot in the second set as they won the first six points. CNU kept the pressure on the Eagles and were up nine, 13-4. After the Captains held a 16-8 lead, UMW went on a 6-0 run after a couple of kills by Savannah Powers. CNU then closed the set out from there and won 25-17.
In the third set, the two teams traded points until CNU took a 6-4 lead. A kill by Harris and then a kill by Tenley Hares gave the Eagles a 10-8 lead. The Captains regained the lead 11-10, but a kill by Leslie Walters and a ball handling error put UMW back up 13-11. An attack error from the Captains gave the Eagles a 15-14 lead, and then the two teams traded points until the Captains took a 19-17 lead. The Eagles rallied yet again, but this time they went on top for good. Powers put the Eagles ahead 22-21, and then Powers and Dunow recorded a kill each to go up 24-22. A bad set by CNU gave the Eagles the third set, 25-22.
CNU took a quick 4-2 lead in the fourth set after an ace. The Captains took a three point lead, 7-4, but the Eagles responded as they won four straight points to go up 8-7 after a kill by Walters. Both teams traded points to keep the set close but UMW broke through after the score was deadlocked at 14 a piece. The Eagles scored four straight that was capped by a kill from Dunow. Wren Berry served an ace to keep UMW up, 22-18. Powers tied the match up at two a piece as she scored a kill on an assist from Berry to win the fourth set, 25-21.
The fifth set was a tight one, but the Captains took the early advantage as they went up 4-1. CNU extended their lead to 7-3 after a kill. The Eagles stormed back and went down one, 10-9, after a ball handling error. UMW took the lead in the fifth set, 13-12, as Dunow scored a kill from Ryan Cho. The Captains then reeled off three straight points to win the set 15-13, and the match.
Powers led the way with 18 kills, and Dunow chipped in 12. Hares contributed nine kills and Walters had eight. Berry dished out 44 assists while Cho picked up 20 digs.
The Eagles await their destiny as they will hope to secure an at-large bid. The selection show will take place on Monday at 12 p.m.