The Patriots swept Indiana Southeast in three sets on the road Tuesday night, 25-20, 25-15, 25-21. Cumberlands moves to 14-3 overall, 1-0 in Mid-South Conference.
A comfortable win with one tight set
Cumberlands controlled the match from the opening set, hitting .404 as a team against an Indiana Southeast side that hit just .152. The second set was the least competitive of the three, a 25-15 win built on a .519 hitting clip. Indiana Southeast found its footing late, forcing seven lead changes and eight tie scores in the third set alone, but the Patriots closed it out at 25-21 without letting the match slip to a fourth.
The standouts
Sara Zampedri was the most efficient hitter on the floor, 12 kills on a .545 percentage with three aces and a team-high 15.5 points. Brynnley Bryant led the team outright in kills with 13, though a heavier error total brought her percentage down to .333. Alana Shiery hit .667 on nine swings for seven kills and added five block assists. Savanah Jolly ran the offense with 35 assists and chipped in 11 digs.
The thread
The .404 team hitting percentage is the bigger story than the scoreline. Zampedri, Bryant, and Shiery all hit above .300, and none of them needed a huge number of swings to get there. That kind of efficiency across three different hitters is harder to find than one big night from a single player.
Our take
This was a clean, low-drama road match, exactly what Cumberlands needed. The third set gave Indiana Southeast a puncher’s chance, but the Patriots didn’t blink. If Zampedri, Bryant, and Shiery keep hitting at this level, this offense is going to be difficult for anyone in the conference to slow down.
The numbers
| Cumberlands | Indiana Southeast | |
|---|---|---|
| Result | W 3-0 | L 0-3 |
| Set scores | 25-20, 25-15, 25-21 | 20-25, 15-25, 21-25 |
| Team hitting % | .404 | .152 |
| Leading hitter | Bryant, 13 K, .333 | Belding, 11 K, .207 |
| Most efficient | Zampedri, 12 K, .545 | Vaughan, 5 K, .455 |
| Assists | Jolly, 35 | Mason, 22 |
Cumberlands is 14-3, 1-0 in MSC play.