WINSTON SALEM, NC - Overcoming a 2-0 deficit, PIU took Erskine College to 5 sets and beat the Flyers 3-2 in the NCCAA South Regional Championship. Piedmont's relentless effort and heart was on full display. The Bruins put together three straight-set wins to pick up back-to-back Regional Championship titles.

Piedmont came out slow in the first set, allowing Erskine to get on a 10-3 run. After calling a timeout with the score 20-16, the Bruins were unable to stop the Flyers from a 5-1 run, closing the set 25-17.

The second set would gain intensity as PIU was able to keep up within one to two points of the Flyers for the first 11 points of the game. Coming out of a timeout, Erskine would go on a 6-2 run widening the score gap. Chelsea Edwards ended the Flyers run with a setter dump kill, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough to stop Erksine from winning the set 25-20.

To start the third set, Piedmont would jump to a 7-4 lead. The Flyers used an 8-1 run to storm right back and built a 13-9 lead. The Bruins refused to fall far behind.  A service ace from Hannah Arneth with critical kills from Cydne Moore, Mckenzie Mastin, and Mariah Robinson kept PIU in the third set. Five kills from the Bruins and two service aces from Mastin gave the Bruins a four-point lead, 24-20. It was an unfortunate set from Erksine that would clinch the third set for the Bruins, making it 2-1 in sets overall.

After forcing the fourth set, the Bruins carried that momentum with them. PIU would take a 7-4 lead early. The set changing moment would take place with back to back kills from Moore, and Olivia Bullard to capture the lead 20-19. From there, PIU would go on a 5-1 run and would cause the match to go to a fifth set off a kill from Bullard as the Bruins won the fourth 25-20.

Edwards and Moore came in clutch with kills that put the Bruins up 6-4 in the fifth. Erskine would call a timeout, but Piedmont's momentum could not be stopped as they capitalized on four Flyer hitting errors. The match would end 15-10 from a lift call on Erksine College off a kill from Olivia Bullard. 

Mastin played a massive role in the Bruins win with 18 kills, 18 digs, and two service aces. Bullard and Moore added 11 and 10 kills, respectively. 

Cameron Dubuc led the scrappy defense with 22 digs. Chelsea Edwards recorded 39 assists and 12 digs.

The Bruins will travel to Point Lookout, Missouri, where they will compete in the 2019 NCCAA National Tournament December 3rd through 7th.