Bragg Achieves Latest Career Milestone Though TU Falls to Bethel

Volleyball | Sat, Oct. 1, 2022 at 2:55 PM
| by Jake Chipka

MISHAWAKA, Ind. – One night after No. 13 Taylor toppled No. 17 Marian to gain sole possession of first place in the Crossroads League, the Trojans (19-5, 8-2 CL) fell in four sets to RV Bethel, 25-19, 25-16, 26-24, 25-23, and returned to a share of the league’s top spot.

Though the Trojans lost just their second match in their last 12 contests, senior setter, Kacy Bragg, moved into fifth place in program history for assists recorded in an individual career.

Bragg took the court in Mishawaka Saturday evening 28 assists behind ’01 grad, Amber McClure, and went on to record 30 assists in TU’s four-set loss to Bethel (15-7, 7-3 CL), moving into fifth place with a mere two-assist cushion over McClure. The Warsaw, Indiana, native now boasts 3,711 career assists, one of just six Trojans to surpass 3,500 in program history.

Despite this most-recent career milestone for Bragg, Saturday proved to be a relatively quiet night for the Trojan offense, which averaged just 11.25 kills-per-set against the Pilots after posting 16.50 the night before against Marian.

Five different Trojans recorded six or more kills, though none struck more than 10. Ryan Czerniak led the way on offense for Taylor, posting double-digit kill numbers for the 23rd time this season. Arlanda Faulkner, then, pounded nine kills herself, finishing the night just two shy of the 1,000-career-kill milestone.

Meanwhile, Anna Frey combined eight kills with nine digs, one away from a share of Bragg’s team high 10 digs. As a team, though, Taylor recorded just 41 digs for an average of 10.25 digs-per-set, down over 5.0 points from its season-average of 15.48.

Though its dig numbers were low, the Taylor blocking attack maintained its impressive performance against the Pilots, as the Trojans posted 12.0 total team blocks. Grace Ieremia led the way for Taylor in this way, totaling 7.0 blocks and improving her season average to 1.20 blocks-per-set. Meanwhile, Czerniak and Bragg combined for nine more blocks toward the TU resistance of the Pilot attack.

Nonetheless, the Pilot offense managed to outperform that of its counterpart, outkilling the Trojans 54-45 as Taylor fell in four sets to Bethel.

No. 13 Taylor (19-5, 8-2 CL) is set to return to the court on Wednesday, October 5th, when the Trojans are scheduled to host Spring Arbor (10-11, 1-9 CL) inside Odle Arena at 7:00 pm.