WINTER PARK, Fla. – Barry University’s volleyball team capped off a 3-0 weekend at the South Region Crossover Saturday, beating West Georgia, 25-9, 19-25, 25-20, 25-8 at Rollins College.
The Buccaneers (13-8) improved to 9-1 in neutral site matches. It was Barry’s eighth region win of the season, which has implications on postseason play. It is the Bucs’ first three-match win streak since ripping off seven in a row earlier this year.
Barry committed no attack errors in the first set, and never surrendered the lead. The Bucs hit .750 in that set on 12 kills in 16 attacks. In the match, Barry hit .324, marking the fourth time this season it has eclipsed the .300 mark.
Laine Cielena had 13 kills and a .611 attack percentage. It was the second time in the weekend’s three matches she hit over .600. Kristina Boncheva had 12 kills, hit .375 and finished with five blocks.
Leading 2-1 in the match, the Buccaneers dominated the final set much like the first, pounding 14 kills against one error for a .565 hitting percentage. The Bucs never relinquished the lead in the fourth set.
Jenny Trinidad had 40 assists, reaching the mark for the second time this weekend after assuming primary setting duties in the three matches. She also had two of Barry’s seven aces. Jayla Trombley had 10 kills, 11 digs and two aces, and Tasha Begon finished with nine kills, a .318 attack rate and two blocks
Tied 1-1, the pivotal point in the match came in the third set when after a kill by Kendall Williams to put the Wolves ahead, 17-15, Barry went on a 4-0 run on kills by Cielena and Boncheva and two West Georgia errors to take control for the rest of the set and match. Barry won 10 of the final 13 points in the third set and 35 of the final 46 points in the match.
The South Region Crossover is an annual weekend at rotating sites where the SSC squares off against the Gulf South Conference to help separate the top teams in the South Region. Barry's 3-0 showing at one of the two weekend gatherings in the South helped bolster its case.
On 105 attacks from each team, the Buccaneers had 51 kills to the Wolves’ 29. West Georgia was held to .048 hitting in the match – an area Barry had led the Sunshine State Conference for most of the season.
The Buccaneers will play at Rollins in Winter Park again 7 p.m. Friday to begin the second half of SSC play.