NASHVILLE – Rallying from deficits of 7-1 and 10-4 in the third set, the Lipscomb University volleyball team hit .361 in the frame to help sweep the University of California Irvine in a Thursday night match inside Allen Arena. 

Final Score: Lipscomb 3, UC Irvine 0 (25-23, 25-17, 25-19)
Location: Allen Arena
Records: Lipscomb (4-5), UC Irvine (4-6)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Bisons stormed out to a 6-2 lead after a service ace by Sophia Hudepohl and kills by Allison Barrick and Cora ter Kuile. 

Despite the Anteaters evening the set at 10 points apiece, Lipscomb had the upper hand at the media timeout, 15-13, thanks to back-to-back attack errors. 

Trailing 19-15, UCI evened the set at 20, and from there, the set went back-and-forth. 

After over 30 minutes of play, Berkley Mischler slammed down the 19th kill of the set to win set one, 25-23. 

Set two was competitive through the first 10 points, as Courtney Jones dropped a kill to even it at five points apiece. 

That sparked an 8-3 run by the Bisons. However, the Anteaters, trailing 12-8, made it a 13-12 deficit after a Madison Triplett kill, but that would be as close as they would get. Jones gave the Bisons the side out after another spike, and that helped the Bisons with a 11-5 run to end set 2 with a 25-17 win and lead two sets to none. 

UC Irvine came out of the locker room hot in set three, winning seven of the first eight points that saw the Anteaters with six kills in the span. 

The Bisons began to chip away and cut the deficit to 14-12 after a Sophia Hudepohl kill off the serve reception by UCI. 

Not even a timeout by the visitors could stop the Bisons. Trailing 10-4 at one point, the home squad used a 17-7 run to take a 20-17 lead on a kill by Cora ter Kuile. 

Ahead 21-18, the Bisons finished the match with four of the final five points thanks to kills by ter Kuile and Ella Durham. 

QUOTABLE
Hear from Kenzie Kucks and Brandon Rosenthal after the match. 


KEY STATISTICS
Courtney Jones posted her 49th career match of 10+ kills with a match-high 13 on the night and added six digs. 

Kenzie Kucks led the Bison defense with a career-high 20 digs, including nine in set one, and was 27-of-28 in receptions, and Kelsey Schenck posted 10 digs. She matched the sixth-most digs in a three-set match as well, joining Brittany Thomas (2017) and Bri McCombs (2013). 

Cora ter Kuile was a perfect 4-for-4 in kills in the third set and swung .600 in the final two sets, totaling seven kills. The graduate student finished with a career-best 12 kills and added five digs, three blocks and hit .500 on the night, committing three errors in 18 swings. 

Sophia Hudepohl recorded her second double-double of the season and the 32nd in her career with 36 assists, a team-high three aces and 10 digs. 

Berkley Mischler totaled a season-high six blocks, including two solo stops, and added seven kills.  

UP NEXT
The two-match home stand concludes when Belmont makes the 2.5 mile trek to Allen Arena on Friday night for a 6 p.m. first serve.