SSU volleyball salvages split with comeback victory over Tennessee Wesleyan (3-2), falls to Union Commonwealth (3-0)

MILLIGAN, Tenn. -- Following a setback to Union Commonwealth (Ky.) in its opening match on Saturday at the Milligan Mountain Madness in Milligan, Tenn., the Shawnee State volleyball program salvaged a split of its proceedings by overcoming a 2-0 set deficit en route to claiming a 3-2 triumph over Tennessee Wesleyan (13-25, 23-25, 25-17, 25-20, 15-13) to move to 2-2 overall to start the 2024 season.

While Shawnee State struggled to marks of .066 on the attack and just 28 digs defensively in its setback against Union Commonwealth (Ky.), the Bears gritted out a huge victory against Tennessee Wesleyan by hitting a more respectable .153 -- including .259, .172 and .154 in the final three sets that it won -- as well as posting 67 digs to Tennessee Wesleyan's 62 dives.

SSU also won the battle at the net defensively against TWU, notching three solo blocks and 12 assisted blocks against the Athens, Tenn.-based institution compared to just one solo block and two assisted blocks against UC.

Saturday, Aug. 24 -- Shawnee State 3, Tennessee Wesleyan 2 (13-25, 22-25, 25-17, 25-20, 15-13)

Wamsley, Steele turn tide of match

Despite falling behind by a 2-0 margin in sets, Shawnee State was able to rally back into the fight against Tennessee Wesleyan behind the play of Shawnee State senior volleyball standout Haidyn Wamsley as well as junior multi-positional threat Megan Steele.

In all, the pair, with the match on the line and SSU trailing by a 2-0 count, combined for seven kills in the third set to help the Bears collect the third set by a 25-17 margin -- and draw Shawnee State within a 2-1 margin.

Up by a scant 11-10 margin in the fourth set, Shawnee State utilized a 11-4 push to allow the Bears to take a 22-14 lead in the waining moments of the fourth set, as sophomore Marleigh Albert helped SSU go on an 8-0 run during that stretch while Steele contributed to a 4-0 push herself with the two serving from the backline. Wamsley added in a block and a kill during the 6-0 stretch as well to help the Bears establish control of the fourth set, as Shawnee State evened the match at two games apiece heading into the fifth and deciding frame.

In that frame, Wamsley turned up her game another level. The senior posted four kills in the fifth and deciding set along with two assisted blocks, while junior teammate Reagan Lewis added in four assists and two assisted blocks alongside Wamsley to help Shawnee State close the deal against TWU.

For the contest, Wamsley finished with 16 kills, a solo block and four assisted blocks while hitting a stout .342 on the frontline -- leading Shawnee State in kills and attack percentage for the match. Camille McIntosh's 12 kills followed Wamsley while Megan Steele posted 17 digs and 11 spikes to nab a double-double.

Assist-wise, Lewis finished with 21 assists while Makaela Lovely added in 16 dimes. Ava Jenkins' 16 digs and Brooke Bossert's 14 dives followed Steele's effort from a defensive standpoint.

Additional

In its first match of the day, Shawnee State dropped a three-setter to Union (22-25, 21-25, 20-25). The Bears were led by Wamsley's 10 kills and Lewis' 18 assists in that affair.

Shawnee State (2-2) will get back to action next Friday and Saturday when the Bears make the one hour trek northeastward to Rio Grande, Ohio for the annual Emileigh Jo Cooper Memorial Classic. A preview on the upcoming matches will be released later next week.