Bowling Green, Ky.-- Cumberland women’s volleyball makes program history with a three set sweep over No.1 seed Campbellsville University for the Mid-South Conference Champions title.

This is the first time Cumberland women’s volleyball has ever claimed a Mid-South conference championship and they did so in a dominant style.

Hazel Konkel, who was named the MSC Freshman of the Year, led her team with ten kills on a fantastic .500 hitting percentage. Close behind was freshman Layla Wandel who had an explosive night for the Phoenix, picking up nine kills and hitting .333 percent.

Campbellsville was led by Molly Shannon on the outside with 14 kills and libero Andrea Leboy with 15 digs.

The Phoenix were in control of the game’s momentum from start to finish. Cumberland swung the Tigers out of the gym in set one, collecting a .241 attack percentage as a team compared to Campbellsville .000. Cumberland made a few attack errors early on to help the Tigers keep up in score, but the Phoenix found their groove and ran away with the lead at the 10-10 scoreboard. Nicole Bott went on a 6-0 serving run during which she picked up an ace and assisted Izzy Curcio and Harlee Kate Reid to a couple kills. Cumberland ran with the set from that point on, with the help of kills from Curcio, Luciana Arena, and a set-ending slam from Konkel. The Phoenix took set one 25-20 and rode that energy into set two. 

Shea Moore took the Phoenix on a seven point serving run to start set two- during which Wandel buried two kills- and gave Cumberland a lead that they protected throughout the whole set. The Tigers strung together three back-to-back points to tie up the score 13-13, but they were interrupted by an important kill from Arena. This sent Faith Weitzel on a four point serving run. From then on, it was Cumberland’s set to grab as they would put away five more kills to finish with a 25-22 score.

The Tigers were determined to force a fourth set and went into set three with some intensity. They took an early lead at 7-1 with Molly Shannon picking up three kills right away. An attack error on the Tigers’ side sent Elaine Shaneyfelt on the serving line for a game changing five point run. Arena ripped back-to-back kills to help the Phoenix cut the lead down to two at 11-9. Shannon picked up two more kills for Campbellsville but a swing from Konkel gave Lauren Galvan the ball to serve. She nailed two aces in a row to tie the score at 15-15. It was an intense battle to take the set, with ties at 21-21, 23-23, and 24-24. Wandel gave Cumberland the all important 25th point and the Phoenix were within touching distance of a championship. A Campbellsville attack error ended the set 26-24 to secure the championship for the Phoenix.

Cumberland earned a bid to the national tournament and will find out who they will face in the first round on Monday, November 14.