Cornerstone Ends Season in NAIA WVB Pool Play

SIOUX CITY, Iowa - (Pool Play Results) - Cornerstone went 1-1 in pool play at the 2022 NAIA Women's Volleyball National Championship to finish the season at 34-4 inside Tyson Events Center. Playing in Pool A, Cornerstone defeated third-seeded Saint Xavier (Ill.) in five sets befor falling to top-seeded Eastern Oregon in three.

Cornerstone def. Saint Xavier (Ill.), 3-2 (25-21, 25-21, 23-25, 21-25, 15-12)

The Golden Eagles jumped to an early two-set lead before leveling out in the third set with the teams trading points. The Cougars finished the set with a 4-1 run and carried that momentum into the fourth set. Cornerstone was able to cut the deficit at 23-21 to two after trailing by as many as six points when Rylie Walters slammed down an attack, but SXU notched the next two points to force a fifth set. The Golden Eagles found themselves trailing in the deciding set until kills by Kylie Barron and Kathryn Detweiler spaked an 8-2 run to put CU up 12-8. SXU pulled to within two at 14-12 before Olivia Keelean slammed down the final point.
Stat Leaders
Kills: Hackett 26 (SXU); Detweiler, Keelean 14 (CU)
Assists: Ritter 63 (SXU); Lenz 44 (CU)
Digs: Lenz 19 (CU); Ritter 19 (SXU)
Blocks: Dykema 6 (CU); Wis 4 (SXU)

Eastern Oregon def. Cornerstone, 3-0 (25-21,25-17, 25-20)

Cornerstone stayed competitive with the pool's top-seeded team and battled back from a six-point deficet in the first set to pull within two points at 23-21, but a service error and an attack error gave EOU the first set. The second set was all Eastern Oregon as they built a commanding nine-point lead to go up 2-0. Cornerstone again found itself down midway through the third set trailing 20-12 before rattling off five straight point to pull to within three at 20-17. The teams traded points and then EOU scored three of the final four points for the win.
Stat Leaders
Kills: Walters 10 (CU); Willaims, Clayton, Scott 9 (EOU)
Assists: Lenz 30 (CU); Ledgerwood 18 (EOU)
Digs: Arritola 14 (EOU); Morris 12 (CU)
Blocks: Scott 6 (EOU); Dykema 5 (CU)