Lady Senators win TCCAA Regular Season Title with sweep of Cleveland State

CLEVELAND, TN – No. 14 Walters State clinched the TCCAA Regular Season Title for the second straight season on Thursday, sweeping Cleveland State 3-0 (25-17, 25-20, 30-28).

With the sweep, the Lady Senators improved to 22-4 overall and 7-0 in TCCAA play.

Walters State led 7-6 in the opening set and a service error, kill by Finley Surber and ace by Olivia Brown made it 10-6. Cleveland State cut it to 10-9, but the Lady Senators got back-to-back kills by Veda Barton that helped make it 13-9.

Cleveland State again cut the lead to one, but the Lady Senators scored four of the next five points to go up 17-13. The Lady Senators got the lead to 22-15 after kills from Alyssa Campbell and Rylee Haynie, and Haynie closed the set out at 25-17 with a kill.

In set two, Cleveland scored the first two points but Walters State quickly scored four in a row. The lead grew to 10-5 on back-to-back aces by Annah Cate Hyatt, and it was 15-10 after a kill by Surber. 

Cleveland State tried to climb back into things and made it 21-19, but two errors and a kill by Surber made it 24-19. Cleveland scored one more point, but an error gave Walters State the second set at 25-20. 

In set three, the two teams traded the lead before the Lady Senators fell behind 19-14. Kills by Emma Miller and Surber cut the lead, but it was 22-16 Cleveland State soon after. Cleveland State eventually had set point at 24-21, but a kill by Brown, an error and back-to-back kills by Lauren Mims gave the Lady Senators match point. 

Cleveland State fought off match point and had set point twice, but a kill by Haynie and a kill by Barton saved the Lady Senators. Walters State lost another match point at 28-27, but an error and an ace by Mims ended the set and match with a 30-28 win.

Up Next:

Walters State will be back in action on Friday at home against Chattanooga State at 6:30 p.m. The Lady Senators will hold Sophomore Night before the match.