Walters State swept by Cleveland State

CLEVELAND, TN – Walters State battled close with Cleveland State throughout all three sets on Tuesday evening but fell, 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-23). 

With the defeat, the Lady Senators dropped to 7-11 overall and 2-4 in TCCAA play. 

Leading the way for Walters State was Veda Barton with 15 kills and 13 digs, while Isabelle Brickey had seven kills. Other contributors for Walters State were Annah Cate Hyatt with 26 assists and 10 digs, Lilabeth Jordan with 12 digs, Davanie Tarleton with five total blocks and two aces and Kara Coggins with four kills. 

Walters State scored four of the first five points in the opening set on Tuesday and continued to hold a slight advantage after kills from Tarleton and  Brickey. The two teams were then tied at six, seven, nine, 10 and 11, but Cleveland State scored three straight to surge ahead. Walters State tried to cut into the lead and got it down to 17-15. However, that was the closest they would get as Cleveland State took the first set, 25-18. 

In set two, Barton got the set started with a kill but Cleveland went up 6-3. Walters State cut into the lead with a kill from Tarleton and made it 8-7 following a block from Hyatt and an ace from Tarleton. The teams then tied at 11 after a kill by Brickey, but Cleveland scored four straight. At 17-12, the Lady Senators made a push with four straight points on two kills by Barton, a kill by Brickey and an ace from Barton. The Lady Senators would stay close throughout the remainder of the set but could not get over the hump, falling 25-22. 

The final set saw Cleveland score five of the first seven points, but Walters State took a 7-5 lead with five straight points. Cleveland tied things at seven, and the two teams were then level at eight, nine and 11. However, the Lady Senators charged ahead from there with four straight points as Coggins had a kill and Hyatt an ace. 

Cleveland responded with four straight points, but the Lady Senators answered with three points of their own on back-to-back kills by Barton and an ace by Jordan. Walters State stayed ahead and led 22-19 following a kill from Brickey, but Cleveland State tied things with three straight points. The Lady Senators scored one final point, but Cleveland scored the final three points of the set to win the match.

Up Next:

Walters State is back in action on Friday, hosting Jackson State. The match is set to begin at 5 pm ET.