ATLANTA, Ga. - Viking Volleyball had a very intense but exciting match against No. 8 Trinity University. With an SAA Championship in the balance, the Vikings answered the bell with a fantastic 3-0 showing, led by SAA Tournament MVP, Keira Kruk.
The stakes were high this game as Berry and Trinity started off fast, having both scored quick kills right away. Both teams were high in spirit, determined to win this set.
Keira Kruk spiked the ball off a block and out of bounds scoring a couple of points for her team which got Berry's momentum up and running. Madie Whitehead and Cali Armstead played off back to back blocks and scored, reaching their 6th point that got the Vikings ahead of the game during this point of the set, 6-5.
An impressive play by Lura Underwood was made as she played off a block, helping Berry reach 16-14 with Trinity. This fire that the Vikings ignited continued to burn as they reached a 20-15 lead. Berry really began to take advantage of their lead and fought to maintain it as the set continued on.
Cali Armstead spiked the ball with a strong force and scored the 24th point, 24-20. Lura Underwood served the last ball to which then made it over and did not give Trinity any chance to dig, which then declared Berry the winner of the first set, 25-20.
In the second set, both teams started off strong just like the first set. The first part of the set prolonged at the same speed as points were rolling back and forth almost evenly. Then, Ava Brovet blocked a kill attempt from Trinity, answering a mini run from the Tigers.
Lura Underwood performed a quick strike which then brought the Vikings back in the lead 11-10. Ava Brovet made a great set that perfectly made it to Armstead's line of fire to where she then delivered a great blow to Trinity, setting the score 15-13. From there, Berry's momentum rose as they reached their 17th point with Trinity at 13, getting in a great 4 point lead advantage.
Ava Brovet performed many textbook sets this game, looking to be her specialty as it had got the Vikings to score their 21st point, almost at set point. The last end of the second match got really close, as Berry reached their 23rd point. Trinity was still scoring as they hit their 21st point proving to be hard competition.
Keira Kruk sent in a tenacious ball, not letting Trinity recover and allowed the Vikings to reach their 24th point. Whitehead finished the set by playing off a block and won the second set for the Vikings.
Berry's momentum for the third set started off strong with them having scored the first 2 points, 2-0. A lot of back and forth was true in this set, either both teams were tied or one was slightly ahead by throughout the course of the set.
Halfway through the set, things started to get heated as the score sat at a tie 14-14. Both Berry and Trinity had fought this far and hard this set. Neither of them were willing to give the other an advantage.
At point 16 for Berry, with Trinity at 18, one team finally had a two-point advantage over the other after tying many times as they neared the end of the set. Berry then turned things around in a big way as Blakely Barnes and Lura Underwood blocked a spiked attempt from Trinity, the score settled at 19-18
The Vikings reached their championship point, 24-21. This ended quickly as Madie Whitehead made the final move, obliterating down that winning ball and claiming victory and a fifth consecutive SAA Tournament Championship!
Andrea Hurt and Ava Brovet bought home SAA All-Tournament honors, with Kruk bringing home an MVP award.
