LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The Truman volleyball team started the Bellarmine Tournament with a bang as they defeated Georgia College 3-1 (25-22, 25-23, 23-25, 25-22). Multiple players set career highs in the match as Ambria Whitlock set a career high in kills with seven. Ainsley Heise also set a career high in kills with eight. Rachel DeFries racked up seven assists, besting her previous high.

The first set was a tightly contested affair. Early on GC led 2-1 but a 4-0 run gave Truman a bit of breathing room. Morgan Smith got kills on two of the four points. After four straight from Truman, GC rallied with three straight points to tie it. Later a 7-3 run for the Bulldogs gave them a 14-9 lead, which GC would rally to tie the set at 15. Each time Truman would get a little breathing room, GC would rally. Finally, with TSU up 22-21, a 3-1 run gave them a 25-22 win in the set. Kills from Smith and Heise ended the set. Truman hit at a .257 mark in the set.

Early in the second set, GC jumped out to a 6-1 lead. The roles had seemingly flipped and each time Truman would close the gap, GC would get a few points to stay ahead. Eventually, TSU tied the set at 13. GC would spring back ahead at 20-15, but TSU would rally. Down 23-20, the Bulldogs ripped off five straight points to take the match. Lauren Wacker had back to back aces to tie the set at 23 in the middle of the run.

The third set was back and forth, with the teams never getting more than two points apart early on. GC got a three point edge at 13-10, but TSU reeled off three straight to tie it; culminated by a Livingston kill. GC went on a run to take a 20-16 lead, but TSU rallied one more time to get within one at 22-21. GC had set point at 24-21, but TSU pulled within one at 24-23. But a kill gave GC the set 25-23.

TSU jumped on GC early in the fourth set, taking a 5-0 lead. Once again, GC would rally and tie the set at 11. GC briefly took the lead but TSU rallied to tie the set at 14. It went back and forth until the teams reached at 21-21 tie. Whitlock got the following kill to take the lead, and later a kill from Smith set up match point at 24-22. Heise finished the match with a kill to take the set 25-22.

There was a three way tie for the lead in kills between Smith, Livingston and Yancy with 11. Hardesty racked up 34 assists and Wacker and Yancy tied for the lead in digs with 14.
 
Match Two
To conclude the day the team took on Cedarville (Ohio). The team was unable to build upon their momentum from the win in the first game and fell to the Jackets 3-1 (25-20, 15-25, 26-24, 25-15).

In the first set, Truman jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead with kills from Heise and Smith. But Cedarville would rally back, from trailing 7-3 to take a 10-7 lead with seven straight points. Yancy would get a kill to tie the set at 11, but from there Cedarville would go on a 9-2 run to go up 20-13. Truman fought back but dropped the set 25-20.
The second set was back and forth, being tied at 3, 5, 6, 7, 11 and 14. Tied at 14, Smith and Yancy spurred a 4-0 run that gave Truman the lead for good. Cedarville got one point Truman followed with a 7-0 run, which included back to back kills from Livingston, to give the Bulldogs the set 25-15.

Early in the third set, Truman trailed 6-5 following a service ace by Lindsay Woltering. But from there, Cedarville went on a 4-0 run. Down 10-5, Truman would rally and take the lead back at 15-12. Cedarville would rally from there to tie the set at 20. Truman went up 22-20, but a 4-0 run by Cedarville gave them set point. Truman rallied to tie the set at 24, but two straight points by Cedarville gave them the set 26-24.

Cedarville came out fast in the fourth set and never looked back. They got out to a 4-0 lead and never trailed in the set before winning 25-15 and taking the match.
Livingston led the team with 13 kills, with Yancy and Smith both reaching double digits with ten.

Truman will take the court next at 10 a.m. Saturday against Charleston.