Hicks and Union Volleyball Grab First Win of the Season Against Milligan

BARBOURVILLE, Ky. - Union Commonwealth University's women's volleyball team (1-10, 1-0 AAC) defeated Milligan (1-11, 0-1 AAC) 3-2 Thursday night at Robsion Arena, giving the Bulldogs their first win of the season.

The Bulldogs and the Buffalos would take the game to five sets (22-25, 25-18, 22-25, 26-24, 15-10) where Union would win three of them in a tightly contested match that marked the first career win for head coach Christa Hicks.

Game Recap

Set 1: Milligan 25, Union Commonwealth 22
Union opened the match with a kill from Ginevra Girardo to take a 1-0 lead. Milligan responded with a 3-0 run, and the teams traded points until tied at 14-14. The Buffaloes then went on a 5-1 run to go up 19-15, but Union fought back with a 6-2 run to even the score at 21-21. However, Milligan closed out the set by scoring four of the last five points to win, 25-22.

Emily Shumaker led Union with three kills in the opening set. Girardo, Jersey Glass, Berkli Benefield and Rylee Stookey each added two kills.

Set 2: Union Commonwealth 25, Milligan 18
Milligan again jumped out to an early 3-1 lead, but Union responded with a 7-1 run to take an 8-4 advantage. The Bulldogs maintained a four-point lead through most of the set before ending on a 6-3 run to even the match at one set apiece.

Stookey led the Bulldogs with four kills in the set, followed by Shumaker with three.

Set 3: Milligan 25, Union Commonwealth 22
Girardo once again opened the set with a kill, but Milligan surged ahead with an 8-3 run. Union responded with a 5-2 run, but Milligan countered with a 6-1 stretch to take a 16-10 lead and force a Union timeout. The Bulldogs came out strong, using a 6-3 run to close the gap to 19-16. A Shumaker kill brought Union within one at 23-22, but Milligan sealed the set with a Union attack error and an ace to go up 2-1 in the match.

Shumaker and Stookey each recorded four kills, while Benefield added three.

Set 4: Union Commonwealth 26, Milligan 24
Both teams came out aggressive, trading points early to a 3-3 tie. Union used a 6-3 run to take a 9-6 lead and maintained control until Milligan tied the set at 24-24, prompting a Union timeout. Coming out of the break, Stookey and Glass delivered back-to-back kills to give Union the set and tie the match at 2-2.

Stookey led Union with five kills in the set. Benefield, Girardo, Glass and Shumaker each had three.

Set 5: Union Commonwealth 15, Milligan 10
Union started strong in the decisive fifth set with a 4-0 run, forcing a Milligan timeout. The Buffaloes responded with a 4-1 run, but Union countered with a 3-0 run to go up 8-4 at the side change. Though Milligan closed the gap to 8-7, Union pulled away with a 7-3 run to close out the match, capped by a Natalie Sanders ace.

Benefield led the Bulldogs in the final set with five kills. Girardo and Shumaker added two apiece.

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Up Next
The Bulldogs return to action Tuesday, Sept. 23, hosting Johnson (Tenn.) at 6:30 p.m. in Robsion Arena.