JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Nov. 14, 2023)- The ETSU volleyball team performed an outstanding game against UNC Greensboro this past Tuesday, securing a win against the Spartans in the first round of the Southern Conference tournament. (25-12, 26-24, 22-25, 25-17).
This is the Lady Bucs’ first postseason win dating back to 2019, thanks to notable performances in both offense and defense. Sophomore Brianna Cantrell (Appleton, Wis.) dominated with 12 kills and two aces, while Senior Jenna Forster (Maryville, Tenn.) reached 11 kills. Defense shined with 17 digs from graduate student Malgorzata Andersohn (Bydgoszcz, Poland.) and 15 digs from Jasmal Cruz (Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico.)
ETSU opened fiercely in the first set. Forster started quickly with four kills and four attempts. This set’s hitting percentage was an impressive .417, leading to a 25-12 win for the Bucs.
Set two was a closer match. Both the Bucs and the Spartans jumped back in forth in the lead. A kill from Forster and a block from Cantrell and Junior Abbey Thomas (Goldsboro, N.C.), helped the Bucs secure the second set with a score of 26-24.
The third set saw a series of 11 errors from the Bucs, allowing the Spartans to keep the match rolling with a 25-22 win.
The Bucs bounced back in the fourth and final set, once again juggling the lead with the other team but launching a 6-0 run at the end to secure the match. The final set landed at 25-17.
This Friday saw the final match of the 2023 season, the ETSU volleyball team facing tough competition against the No. 1 seed The Citadel in SoCon Quarterfinals. The Bucs succumbed to a three-set defeat (25-18, 27-25, 25-21). Despite a valiant effort, the Bucs closed the season with a 6-23 record. Once again, Cantrell brought an aggressive offense with 13 kills, followed by Lundyn Coffman’s (Nolensville, Tenn.) nine kills and three block assists in her farewell game for the Bucs. Cruz and Andersohn showed out in defense with 33 digs between the two.
The first set saw ETSU briefly taking the lead after a 6-0 run but couldn’t maintain momentum, falling 25-18. The second set was highly competitive, with the teams tied at multiple points, but The Citadel secured a narrow 27-25 victory. In the final set, ETSU’s veterans, Coffman and Cruz, displayed commendable efforts, bringing the score to 23-21. However, The Citadel sealed the match with the final two points, winning 25-21. The Lady Bucs will return in 2024.
