CINCINNATI, Ohio. - The Transylvania Women's Volleyball team earned their sixth straight HCAC Championship berth with a 3-1 win over Rose Hulman in the HCAC semifinals on Saturday evening. The Pioneers downed the Fightin' Engineers 25-22, 21-25, 25-14 and 25-13.
Transylvania led in points (72-56), kills (54-48), aces (6-3), blocks (12-5), assists (51-44), and digs (89-80). The Pioneers used twelve players in the semifinal victory.
After being down 14-17 in the first set, Transy went on a 11-5 run to survive a Rose Hulman scare, but a slow second set start saw the game tied after two sets. Rose Hulman had their biggest lead of the match (12-21) before Transy made a late attempt at a comeback before falling 21-25 in the set.
Transy jumped out to a quick 9-2 lead to open the third set and didn't look back, holding the Fightin' Engineers to just fourteen points. RHIT made it a three point deficit at 11-8 but Transy used a 6-1 run to distance themselves from any comeback.
Transy dominated in the final set. The Pioneers and Fightin' Engineers were neck and neck at 9-8 before Transy went on another big run to make it 18-10. TU then held RHIT to just three more points to win the set 25-13 and the match 3-1. It was the second time all season the Pioneers dropped a set to an HCAC opponent .
Transylvania moves to 24-6 on the season and 12-11 all time versus Rose Hulman. It's the 8th straight victory over the Fightin' Engineers.
"Once we settled down we were able to do what we do best." Head Coach Amy Barmore said after the win. "Kayden had fourteen kills and one error tonight, and when we settle down we can get her the ball."
"It means a lot to have a coach that believes in our middles because I know a lot of teams don't run middles as much as we do, and it definitely starts with the good ball control that we had, and good energy from our libero and our defense." Kayden Holcomb said. "Having everyone support you makes it much easier."
The win puts Transylvania into the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference championship for the sixth straight season under head coach Amy Barmore. Transy has won four straight HCAC tournament championships and will look to make it five tomorrow in a rematch versus no. 14 Mount St. Joseph at 1 PM.
STATS FROM THE WIN
Ava Beltsos, Maggie Harrison, and Grace Ward all had season high in digs. Beltsos finished with 33, Harrison finished with 15, and Ward finished with 16.
Cate Scheper led the Pioneers with 15 kills. It's the twenty first time this season she's earned double-digit kills and the eighth time in the last nine games. Kayden Holcomb finished with 14 kills and a season highs in aces (3) and blocks (8).
Grace Ward finished with 41 assists. Cecilia Roberts finished with 2 kills and 2 solo blocks.
