CU sweeps home finale against Rio Grande
Mar. 27—Cumberland completed a three-set sweep over Rio Grande in the Phoenix's final home volleyball match of the season last Saturday inside the Dallas Floyd Phoenix Arena/Cliff Ellis Court.
The Phoenix evened their Mid-South Conference record to 3-3 with the win, completing a regular-season sweep over the Red Storm.
Cumberland had a solid night of attacking with a team percentage of .293 and 42 total kills. Jacob Whyte and Austin Smalley led the attackers with 13 and 10 kills, respectively. Zendai Richards added four kills and four digs while Alexander Heuer finished with 32 assists and five digs.
The teams were evenly matched in set one, reaching a 10-10 tie before Rio's consecutive errors gave the Phoenix a crucial three-point lead. Building on this momentum, Cumberland, led by Smalley and Whyte, controlled the net with powerful kills.
Cade Donaldson's attacking efforts helped the Red Storm regain ground, collecting multiple kills for a 20-19 lead. As the set neared its end, Rio tested Cumberland's block coverage, getting touches on CU's swings and making it challenging for attackers to find openings.
With the score tied at 23-23, Smalley's decisive swing, followed by a block with Whyte, sealed a 25-23 win for the Phoenix.
The second frame mirrored the first, with the teams fiercely contesting every point and remaining within two of each other. The latter half of the set saw excitement from two rowdy benches, fueling a heated exchange of blows from both sides of the net.
At 17-17, Whyte's serving spree propelled the Phoenix ahead. Rio swiftly fought back, using smart shots and solid blocks to level the score at 23-23.
After a series of service errors, the set extended into extra points. Smalley's kill, followed by Whyte's ace, secured a narrow 28-26 victory for Cumberland. The Phoenix closed the set with a fantastic .367% attacking rate, fueled by 17 kills.
Cumberland broke set three open with a 5-1 run during which Whyte, Ferrell, and Zendai Richards each delivered demanding kills.
Maintaining their dominance, the Phoenix widened their lead to eight points, while Rio continually struggled with attacking errors.
Despite a late push from Rio, Cumberland held on for a 25-20 win. Whyte's final swing halted Rio's late-set momentum, securing the Phoenix's sweep.
The Phoenix will finish out the season on the road with their next match taking place at Midway University today at 4:30 p.m.
