Box Score MCKENZIE, Tenn. – The Bethel Lady Wildcats battled Cumberland University throughout the night but came up just short in a hard-fought Mid-South Conference opener Monday at Crisp Arena.
Cumberland escaped with a 3-0 victory, winning by scores of 25-23, 25-18 and 25-23.
Bethel overcame a 5-0 deficit in the opening set with an 11-2 run to take a 12-7 lead. The Lady Wildcats remained in front at 22-21 following a kill by Kennedi Morrison, but the Phoenix scored four of the final five points to secure the set.
The Lady Wildcats carried that momentum into the second frame and built a 13-9 advantage behind a pair of kills from Sania Reaves. Cumberland responded, however, closing the set on a 16-5 run for a 25-18 victory.
The third set featured 10 ties as the teams battled back and forth. Bethel trailed 21-18 before pulling within 21-20 and later fought off one match point on a kill by Margarita Vargas. Cumberland's Hailey Jones answered with the match-clinching kill.
Morrison led the Bethel attack with seven kills and added two block assists. Reaves finished with six kills, a solo block and a block assist, while Emma Fistarol recorded five kills and eight digs.
Vargas contributed four kills and hit .250. Clara Sestini paced the Lady Wildcats with nine digs and two service aces, while Mackenzie McCammon and Camila Sandoval distributed 12 and 10 assists, respectively.
Bethel recorded 30 kills, 38 digs, three service aces and four total blocks. Cumberland finished with 33 kills, 33 digs and 10 aces.
Jones led the Phoenix with seven kills and a .400 hitting percentage. Jacey Hubbell added eight kills while hitting .429.
Bethel fell to 0-8 overall and 0-1 in Mid-South Conference play, while Cumberland improved to 8-10 and 1-0 in the league.
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