NEWBERRY, S.C. - An impressive comeback performance and a career-high nine blocks from Rachel Ruble led the Tornados to a four-set road victory over Newberry on Saturday afternoon.
Ruble had nine stuffs, all assisted efforts, as the Tornados (3-8, 2-5 SAC) racked up an astonishing 12.0 team blocks on the afternoon. Ruble accounted for the most blocks by a Brevard individual in nearly six years and tied for third in the team's NCAA era, one shy of the program record.
She also had an exceptional day on offense, finishing second on the team with 11 kills to tie with three Wolves (6-6, 2-5 SAC) for second on the afternoon. She trailed only Fatima Gharachorloo, who ended her day with 22 kills and 12 digs, and one block.
Erin Barr, the reigning AstroTurf South Atlantic Conference Specialist of the Week, finished with 39 assists, 23 digs, two blocks, and three service aces. Kristen Rathbun was two digs from her career high and had a pair of aces, contributing to Brevard's eight team aces that were tied for the second most on the season.
The Wolves won the first set 25-22 after jumping out to an early 11-4 lead and appeared to be on their way to a win late in a back-and-forth second frame. Brevard led for most of the set before falling behind 24-22 after a 5-0 run from the Wolves. Gharachorloo knotted the score at 24 with back-to-back kills before Logan Hayward sent the Wolves back in front with a kill of her own.
With their backs to the wall again, a block from Erin Barr and Rachel Ruble forced the eighth tie of the set at 25. Ruble's thunderous kill a play later gave the Tornados a set point, and a Wolves' attack error tied the match at one and cemented a 5-1 run by the Tornados. It was reminiscent of last year's five-set thriller at Newberry in which the Tornados erased deficits of 22-14 and 22-15 in consecutive sets to stave off elimination.
With the momentum from the dramatic second-set victory firmly in hand, the Tornados sprinted to a 7-1 lead in the fourth and never let Newberry draw within four points in a leisurely 25-16 win. The fourth set was another tight affair with six ties and six lead changes, but a block and two Newberry attack errors gave Brevard the 3-1 victory after a 22-all deadlock late in the fourth set.
The win snaps a three-match losing skid for Brevard heading into a pair of conference tilts next weekend. The Tornados host Mars Hill on Friday at 7:00 p.m. before a noon contest with Tusculum on Homecoming Saturday.
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Featured image courtesy of Shawn Millsaps. Click here to view more images by Shawn.
