DES MOINES, Iowa – The No. 11-ranked Indiana Tech men's volleyball team notched the first win of the 2021 NAIA National Championship Tuesday morning as they defeated Campbellsville University 3-1 (25-27, 25-22, 26-24, 25-23) inside the Iowa Events Center.
How It Happened
- In a rematch from the opening match of the season, Tech held an 18-13 lead in the opening set, but the Tigers railed back to tie the match up at 21-21. Following two points from Tech, Campbellsville went on a 3-0 run and eventually came out on top 27-25.
- The Tigers took control of the second set with a 12-6 lead that came off a 5-0 run. A 6-0 run from the Warriors brought them within two points at 15-13 and they eventually tied the match up at 17-17 and 20-20. After trading the next three points Tech would win the next four to even the match up at 1-1, with Brandon Jones and Chase Christiansen combining to score all four points with a pair of double blocks and the former assisting the latter on kills.
- Campbellsville would again hold the early advantage in the third set with a 12-6 lead, but the Warriors battled back and used a 4-0 run to go ahead 23-22 for their first lead of the game. The next three points would go back and forth but the Orange and Black won the final two points of the set to up 2-1 in the match.
- After an evenly contested first 20 serves of the fourth set, Tech used an 8-1 run to go up 18-12, but a 7-1 spurt from the Tigers knotted the game up at 20-all. The Warriors held a 23-20 lead and while the Tigers made a furious comeback, Tech was able to hold off the charge to take the set 25-23 and complete the comeback.
Tech (17-5) wraps up pool play action Wednesday with a match against No. 6-ranked Vanguard University. Opening serve is set for 11 a.m. ET from the Iowa Events Center.
