BOWLING GREEN, KY – Texas Wesleyan volleyball improved to 2-3 on the young season with a five-set triumph over the University of Cumberlands Saturday afternoon (25-22, 25-11, 22-25, 20-25, 15-11), their final of four matches in the Mid-South Challenge.
 
After taking the first two sets, Cumberlands attempted to do what Lindsey-Wilson was able to pull off Friday against the Lady Rams: come back from two sets down for a victory but Wesleyan got the close-out this time. Up 12-11, the Rams got the final three points of the set off of kills by Dana Lohrke and Brittni Mohle plus an attacking error.
 
Closing was a trend for the Rams, Saturday. In Set 1, Wesleyan scored the last three points in a 22-22 tie. In Set 2, the Rams ran roughshod, capping a 7-0 scoring burst in the final seven points with a Lohrke punishment.
 
Lohrke was emphatic, recording a career-high 19 kills with a .273 hitting percentage. Hannah Altman recorded career best numbers too – 28 assists and 20 digs, her first 20/20 double-double of her career (and a career-high in digs). Mohle registered a double-double – 12 kills and 10 digs.
 
Robinson added 12 kills. Brenda Pargas racked up 20 assists and Sarah Benitez had 15 digs. Sunny Clark tossed three service aces.
 
In earlier action, Wesleyan fell to Campbellsville – who they beat in the NAIA National Tournament's Opening Round last season – in four sets: 18-25, 18-25, 25-20, 22-25.
 
While neither team hit particularly well, Wesleyan's 11 attacking errors in Set 4 did them in, along with a whopping nine service aces from the Tigers. In the set the Lady Rams managed to wrestle away from the Tigers, the Rams' efforts late were the difference – scoring the last four points in a tight 21-20 battle. Benitez' ace got the victory – one of 11 service aces for the team in total on Saturday.
 
In the loss to Campbellsville, Robinson led the way with 11 kills and Pargas led in assists with 14, Sitton had 24 digs. One area the Rams were a menace in was their defensive of the net. 19 blocks, headlined by Chastity Brown's 4 and Lohrke's 3.5 held Campbellsville to a .104 hitting percentage, their worst hitting percentage in their last 11 matches. The last time Campbellsville's attack was kept in check that well: Defending NAIA National Champion Lindsey-Wilson, November 10, 2017.
 
RAMBLINGS:
 
The season is young but Brianna Sitton is proving to be a force. Her 6.3 digs per set through five matches is eighth in the NAIA, and tops in the Sooner Athletic Conference.
 
WHAT'S NEXT:
 
A doubleheader comes to the Sid Richardson Center on Friday with Georgetown College first up at 4 p.m. followed by the Sooner Athletic Conference opener against Central Christian. The Rams follow that up with another pair of games Saturday: 11 a.m. versus new Sooner opponent Langston followed by a 1 p.m. non-conference tilt against Our Lady of the Lake.