Set 4– The Bearcats would take an early 3-0 lead after a Tatum kill, Eggleston block, and Frederick service ace and the Bearcats had all the momentum to start Set 4. The Bearcats would extend their lead to 6-1 forcing a Musketeer timeout to stop the momentum, however the Bearcats would keep their foot on the gas to take a 9-3 lead following a Shaye Eggleston kill. The Musketeers would chip away at the Bearcats lead after rattling off 2 bursts of 3 points to cut the lead as they trailed 12-9 as they forced a Bearcats timeout. The Bearcats would keep their foot on the gas and take an 18-15 led by the Musketeers weren’t going down without a fight as they tied this one up at 18 forcing the Bearcats to use their final timeout of the set as they looked to regroup and get a side out and close this match out. A back-and-forth battle after the Musketeers went on 4 runs, totaling 12 points, and in the sport of volleyball we know how much a sport of runs it is, and Xavier showed that here in Set 2 as they ran off 4 separate runs of 3 points to stay in this match as they look to extend this to a fifth and final set. The set would go on to be a back-and-forth battle as teams exchange kill for kill as the Musketeers were looking to fight for another day as we saw this set get extended all the way to 37-35 where Xavier would close the doors and force a fifth and final set.
Set 5- The Musketeers take a 4-1 lead to start behind kills from Brooklyn Cink, a huge momentum boost after an exciting back and forth battle in Set 4, the Musketeers had all the momentum in their favor as Set 5 was a race to 15. The Musketeers would keep their foot on the gas and complete the comeback after taking Set 5, 15-7 to claim the match 3 sets to 2.
Recap- The Bearcats would get off to a slow start, but would look to settle in after falling in set one 25-21, they would bounce back and take the next two behind dominant performances from Abby Walker and Avry Tatum, who both dominated tonight for coach Alvey and the Bearcats as Walker finished with 20 kills and two blocks, while Tatum finished with a career high 18 kills and three blocks as the Bearcats dominated, they dominated the net. The Bearcats saw Shaye Eggleston contribute 14 kills and 17 digs as the sophomore outside really embraced the first crosstown rivalry and was a huge part of the Bearcats success in this match. The Bearcats would see an exciting one and that’s what this crosstown rivalry is all about as they saw Set 4 get extended to 37-35 in a back-and-forth battle as the Musketeers were looking to extend this match to a fifth and final set and that’s what they did as they carried the momentum over after a spectacular Set 4 and dominated Set 5 from start to finish. Bearcats’ freshman setter Caroline Endres had a career night as she recorded a game high 67 assists, which is a new career high for the Cincinnati native, as well as 7th all time in the rally scoring era, as Endres did a tremendous job facilitating the Bearcats offense as the Bearcats would see a total of five players with double digit kills along with Walker, Eggleston and Tatum, Kailea Carrier had (10) and Carly Glendinning had 10 kills as well as Caroline Endres was sharing the ball around to all her hitters here tonight and the Bearcats showed their full arsenal as they knew this would be a tough hard-fought battle. The Bearcats would fall just short as they couldn’t hold on here at Cintas Center as the Musketeers had lost five of the last six coming into this one, but make sure to sneak on out tonight in a 5-set thriller.
The Musketeers were led by outside hitter Brooklyn Cink who had a team high 18 kills, seven digs, five blocks on the match in her first crosstown rivalry match. Delany Hogan recorded 14 kills, five blocks. Carrigan O’Reilly recorded her 5th career triple double as she recorded 11 kills, 16 digs, and 57 assists en route to the Musketeers comeback victory, as she did a great job controlling the Musketeer offense and was able to impact this game in many ways as she provided the ability to swing on the right-side pin as well. Like the Bearcats, the Musketeers also had five players with double digit kills along with Cink, Hogan, and O’Reilly, MaryAnn O’Toole recorded 13 kills, and Anna Taylor recorded 10 as well. The Musketeers were just too strong for the Bearcats tonight as they complete the comeback and take down the Bearcats in 5 sets.
The Bearcats now (2-8) on the season will be back in action when they kick off conference play next Friday at 7:30 pm as the travel to New Orleans to take on Tulane.
