MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. (Sept. 15, 2016) â€" For the first time this season, the Milligan College volleyball team lost a match at home, dropping a 3-0 decision to visiting Cumberland University (25-16, 25-19, 26-24) Thursday night in a nonconference matchup at Steve Lacy Fieldhouse.
 
Milligan (12-4, 3-0 AAC) lost for the second time in the last five matches but has also won 11 of the last 13. Cumberland improved to 10-7 overall.
 
Senior Samantha Bruinius led Milligan with 11 kills while adding nine digs, an assist and an ace. Freshman setter Kellee Geren tallied 20 assists and six digs, and Grace Ann Moorhouse led the defense with 12 digs.
 
Milligan led early in each set, going up 6-3 in the first, 7-3 in the second and 8-2 in the third, but Cumberland battled back in each. After dropping the first two sets, Milligan looked to turn the table late in the third when Charlie Bateman ended one of the longest points of the match to put the Buffs up 21-20. It put an end to an 11-5 Cumberland run which saw the Phoenix tie the game up at 20-20.
 
Milligan went on to extend the lead to 23-20 after a block by Bruinius/Bateman and a kill by Bruinius, but Cumberland battled back once again, finishing the match on a 6-1 run.
 
Milligan will be on the road for the next two weeks, but the Buffs return home on Thursday, Sept. 29, for a nonconference match against UVa.-Wise. Match time for that one is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.