HESSTON, KS – The Carolina University Women's Volleyball team concluded its appearance at the Continental Athletic Conference (CAC) Classic on Saturday, October 10, competing in two conference matchups against Florida National University and Simpson University. The three-day event, hosted by Hesston College, provided the Bruins with valuable experience against conference competition as they continue preparing for the upcoming CAC Tournament in November.
Carolina University opened the final day of competition with a noon matchup against Florida National University before returning to the court at 6 p.m. to face Simpson University. Despite showing flashes of strong offensive execution throughout the day, the Bruins dropped both contests, falling to Florida National in four sets before suffering a straight-set defeat against Simpson.
The weekend served as an important preview of what lies ahead for Carolina University, as the CAC Tournament approaches with opportunities to advance to the NAIA National Tournament on the line.
Match One: Florida National University Defeats Carolina University, 3-1
Set Scores: 25-13, 22-25, 13-25, 16-25
Carolina University opened Saturday's competition with an impressive offensive performance against Florida National University, dominating the opening set 25-13. The Bruins recorded 15 kills while hitting an outstanding .406, establishing an early advantage and taking a 1-0 lead in the match.
The second set featured a competitive battle between the two conference opponents. Carolina University continued to execute offensively, collecting another 15 kills while hitting .302. However, Florida National responded with 21 kills of its own, edging the Bruins 25-22 to even the match.
Following the opening two sets, Florida National began to take control. The Conquistadors limited Carolina University to six kills and a .029 hitting percentage in the third set, earning a 25-13 victory. Florida National carried that momentum into the fourth set, closing out the match with a 25-16 win.
Individual Statistical Leaders – Florida National Match
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Rileigh Franklin: 10 kills, .333 hitting percentage, eight digs, and three block assists.
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SarahElizabeth Samuels: Seven kills and a .263 hitting percentage.
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Melia Coleman: Six kills and a .267 hitting percentage.
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Syvannah Poore: Five kills, 14 assists, seven digs, and a .400 hitting percentage.
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Charlee Hale: Match-high 19 digs and three assists.
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Natalia Cano: 10 assists and 11 digs.
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Corinne Cutter: Four kills and two block assists.
As a team, Carolina University finished with 43 kills, 37 assists, 66 digs, and a .197 hitting percentage. Florida National recorded 58 kills while hitting .252.
Match Two: Simpson University Defeats Carolina University, 3-0
Set Scores: 16-25, 7-25, 20-25
Following its afternoon contest against Florida National, Carolina University returned to action Saturday evening to face Simpson University in its final match of the CAC Classic.
Simpson established control early in the opening set, recording 13 kills while limiting the Bruins to six. Despite Carolina University's efforts to find an offensive rhythm, the Red Hawks claimed the first set 25-16.
The second set saw Simpson continue its offensive efficiency, hitting an impressive .522 with 14 kills and just two attack errors. Carolina University struggled to generate consistent offense, recording five kills as Simpson took the set 25-7.
Facing a two-set deficit, the Bruins responded with their strongest offensive performance of the match in the third set. Carolina University collected 13 kills while hitting .186, showing improvement and battling throughout the frame. However, Simpson maintained its offensive momentum, recording 18 kills to secure a 25-20 victory and complete the three-set sweep.
Individual Statistical Leaders – Simpson Match
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SarahElizabeth Samuels: Team-high seven kills and two block assists.
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Melia Coleman: Four kills and two block assists.
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Britney Comolli: Four kills.
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Rileigh Franklin: Three kills and two digs.
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Syvannah Poore: Team-high 12 assists and five digs.
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Natalia Cano: Eight assists and three digs.
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Charlee Hale: Match-high 15 digs and two service aces.
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Valeria Suarez: Nine digs and one service ace.
Carolina University finished the match with 24 kills, 23 assists, 41 digs, and three service aces.
Bruins Turn Attention Toward CAC Tournament
Although the Bruins were unable to secure a victory on the final day of the CAC Classic, the weekend provided valuable opportunities to evaluate their performance against conference opponents and identify areas for improvement heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
Carolina University Head Coach Chelsea Jones emphasized the importance of using these experiences to prepare for postseason competition.
Head Coach Chelsea Jones stated:
"We saw some really positive things from our team this weekend, especially with the way we came out offensively against Florida National. However, we also saw areas where we have to become more consistent. Playing multiple conference opponents in a short period of time gives us a good understanding of what it will take to compete at a high level in November. We have to continue improving our communication, execution, and ability to respond to adversity. Our goal is to take what we learned from this weekend, get back to work, and make sure we are playing our best volleyball when the conference tournament arrives."
With Saturday's results, Carolina University moves to 12-16 overall on the season.
The CAC Classic served as a precursor to the upcoming Continental Athletic Conference Tournament, scheduled for November 12-14, which will feature two tournament sites hosted by Florida College and Simpson University. The winner from each site will earn a berth in the NAIA Women's Volleyball National Tournament.
With postseason opportunities on the horizon, the Bruins will look to build on their experiences from the weekend and continue making strides as they prepare for the conference tournament.
