Top Seeds Advance to Semifinal Round

KINGSPORT, Tenn. - All of the top seeds won on Friday in the 2022 Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Women's Volleyball Tournament, but it was anything but easy.

Top-seeded Columbia International produced the lone sweep, yet there were two five-set thrillers.

The tournament is being held at the MeadowView Marriott Convention Center & Conference Resort in Kingsport, Tenn.

Kira Rymer hammered home 15 kills and posted a .464 hitting percentage as Columbia International moved past Union 3-0. Raquel Kessler recorded a double-double for Union in the loss, notching 12 kills and 10 digs.

No. 10 seed Johnson nearly pulled off a major upset as it came close to recording a reverse sweep. No. 2 seed Bryan won the first two sets 30-28 and 25-19, but Johnson took the next two (25-17, 25-21) to force a fifth set. The final frame was knotted at 8-all, but Bryan closed the match on a 7-2 run to win the set 15-10 and the match 3-2. Abby Rector posted 25 kills and 16 digs for Bryan with Gigi Ford and Raegan Malugin adding 16 and 15 kills, respectively. Malugin also had 11 blocks.

Fourth-seeded Reinhardt needed only four sets to dispatch Milligan, winning 25-11, 25-23, 17-25, 25-23. Ambria McBride logged 17 kills in the win, while Ella Maiden registered 14 kills and five blocks for Milligan.

It was a match of runs in Friday's finale as No. 3 seed Bluefield outlasted No. 6 seed Brenau. Brenau led 13-11 in the fifth set, but Bluefield reeled off four straight points to win the set and the match 3-2. Adriana Soto Alvarez led Bluefield with 14 kills, while Leslie Flores posted 11 kills and 21 digs for the victors. Marry Ellen Enright posted 16 kills, while Malone Davis and Chloe Bennett each chipped in 10 for Brenau.

Play resumes Saturday with the semifinal matches beginning at 10 a.m. The championship match is set for 4:30 p.m.

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TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Thursday, Nov. 10
Game 1 - No. 10 Johnson (15-15) def. No. 7 Truett McConnell (19-18), 3-1 (19-25, 25-14, 25-17, 25-22)
Game 2 - No. 9 Union (15-17) def. No. 8 Point (13-16), 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-23)

Friday, Nov. 11
Game 3 - No. 1 Columbia International (33-7) def. No. 9 Union (15-18), 3-0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-21)
Game 4 - No. 2 Bryan (26-4) def. No. 10 Johnson (15-16), 3-2 (30-28, 25-19, 17-25, 21-25, 15-10)
Game 5 - No. 4 Reinhardt (19-12) def. No. 5 Milligan (18-13), 3-1 (25-11, 25-23, 17-25, 25-23)
Game 6 - No. 3 Bluefield (22-9) vs. No. 6 Brenau (14-16), 3-2 (19-25, 25-16, 25-14, 25-17, 15-13)

Saturday, Nov. 12
Game 7 - No. 1 Columbia International (33-7) vs. No. 4 Reinhardt (19-12), 10 am
Game 8 - No. 2 Bryan (26-4) vs. No. 3 Bluefield (22-9), 12:30 pm
Game 9 - Championship Game - Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner, 4:30 pm