BLUEFIELD – It was a barn burner at the Dome Gymnasium in a battle of the top two women's volleyball teams in the Appalachian Athletic Conference North Division. In the end it was the Rams who came out on top in four sets, 25-14, 25-23, 23-25, 25-20.
The Rams jumped to a 3-0 lead in the opening set and expanded it to 6-2 against the ever-tough Bulldogs. Union pulled within two, but Bluefield forged back ahead by five at 13-8. With BC up 17-13 Union used its first timeout. Forging ahead 21-14, the Rams closed the set on an 8-1 run to take a 25-14 win in game one.
Union scored the first point in the second set but the Rams attacked and went up 4-1. Union climbed back and tied it at six on a service ace off the net. After several ties Union scored three straight to go up 13-10 and BC called time. The teams battled closely in the second set with Union opening a lead as high as four points at 20-16. The Rams would not back down and Lexie Austin's ace made it 21-20 in favor of Union. BC tied it at 21 on a Union miscue, then went ahead 22-21 on a Camry McCroskey block. Union knocked the ball out-of-bounds BC went up 23-21 and Union called time at 20-16. The Rams would not back down and Lexie Austin's ace made it 21-20 in favor of Union. BC tied it at 21 on a Union miscue, then went ahead 22-21 on a Camry McCroskey block. Union knocked the ball out-of-bounds BC went up 23-21 and Union called time at 20-16. The Rams would not back down and Lexie Austin's ace made it 21-20 in favor of Union. BC tied it at 21 on a Union miscue, then went ahead 22-21 on a Camry McCroskey block. Union knocked the ball out-of-bounds BC went up 23-21 and Union called time. The Bulldogs won the next two points to draw even at 23 and went up 24-23 at which time the Rams called time. Union won the set on a kill, 25-23.
Union took the early lead in set three only to see Bluefield tie and pull ahead 8-6. Close play continued as neither team could build a lead higher than three. With BC ahead 18-16 Union used a time out and then tied the game at 18. Kaitlyn Shaver's kill put the Rams back ahead 19-18 and a Union error made it 20-18. BC moved ahead 23-21 forcing Union to call time. The Bulldogs tied it at 23 and Bluefield called time. After the time out the Rams took the lead on a Lexi Mocarski kill and then took the match 25-23.
Game four proved to be as close and exciting as the previous three. Tied throughout, Bluefield managed to take a 15-12 lead. The Rams extended their lead to five at 20-15 and later 22-16. Leading 24-18, Union scored on a service error and then on a kill to make it 24-20. Bluefield put the game away on an Ellen Johnson kill.
Johnson finished the match with 14 kills and 15 digs. McCroskey had 42 assists and 13 digs, while Shaver had 11 kills.
The Rams move to 10-10 overall and 7-2 in the AAC and within a game of Union at the top of the standings. Union falls to 20-6 overall and suffers its first conference loss. The Bulldogs are 9-1 in the conference.
Bluefield returns to action Friday night at St. Andrews, before facing a pair of non-conference foes in John Wesley and Elizabeth City State on Saturday in High Point, N.C.
