KOKOMO, Ind. – The young Golden Eagles got their first glimpse of NAIA competition on Friday afternoon, opening their season with losses to receiving votes opponents Bethel and IU-Kokomo. CU battled in each set but were unable to pull any out as they were swept in each contest. Cornerstone saw five players see the floor for the first time in a Golden Eagle uniform, as they begin the year 0-2. It will be a quick turnaround for CU as they close out the IU-Kokomo tournament tomorrow at 10 a.m. against another receiving votes opponent in Campbellsville (Ky.).
 
Game One Recap: Cornerstone – 0 Bethel – 3 (22-25, 17-25, 20-25)
Set One:

• The new look Golden Eagles saw a familiar face score the first point of the 2023 season, as a dump set kill from Aubrey Lenz put CU on the board and tied set one at 1-1. 
• The first run of the game came from the Pilots, scoring three straight points on a pair of kills from Maddy Payne to lead 7-4. 
• Despite the match being the first of the year for Cornerstone and just the fifth of the year for Bethel, errors were kept to a minimum early, with just one attack and one service error for each team through the first 24 points. 
• As CU continued to trail by three, they were finally able to break even again with kills from Jada Thomas and Emmalee Murphy to tie things at 14. 
• Bethel responded right away with another 3-0 run to go back on top 19-16. Head Coach Megan Lenhart and the Golden Eagles would use their first timeout trailing by three. 
• After the timeout, an attack error would give the Pilots their largest lead of four. 
• An Alli Pickard service ace helped spark a Golden Eagle run while facing set point. CU survived three set points before Isabelle Greene put them away with a kill to give Bethel a 25-22 set one victory. 

Set Two:

• Set two began with the two sides trading points yet again. Cornerstone succeeded early at the service line with Kylie Andras earning an ace to go on top 5-4. 
• A big block from Hannah Giere and Gabrielle VerBerkmoes helped CU to a 3-0 run and an 8-5 lead which forced a Bethel timeout. 
• BU was able to respond after the timeout with the help of a CU service error and ball handling error to tie set two at 10. 
• Bethel then added a 4-0 run capped off by a Taylor Delp and Isabelle Greene block that put them back in front 14-11. Cornerstone would use their first timeout of the set. 
• The Pilot offense then started to take over with a 5-0 run that saw four kills. 
• Bethel would hit .290 in set two with 12 kills to take set two 25-17. 

Set Three:

• After a Kylie Barron kill scored the first point of set three, it was all Bethel. The Pilots got out to a 6-2 advantage with Maddy Payne being involved in two blocks. 
• Cornerstone responded with a 3-0 run behind freshman middle hitter Gabrielle VerBerkmoes' two kills to cut the deficit back to just one at 6-5. 
• Back-to-back kills from Cheyanne Seymour helped Bethel increase their lead back to four at 11-7. 
• A kill from Hannah Giere stopped the BU run, but it would not last long as the Pilots continued to find their way offensively increasing their lead to 14-9. 
• Despite not being able to cut into the Bethel lead, Cornerstone saw some good things from their freshmen including back-to-back service aces from Alli Pickard, and big kills from Gabrielle VerBerkmoes. 
• Cornerstone would fall 25-20 in set three to drop their season opener in straight sets. 

 
Game Two Recap: Cornerstone – 0 IU-Kokomo – 3 (27-29, 11-25, 15-25)
Set One:

• Just 45 mins later, Cornerstone got going in their second match of the day. Jada Thomas and Kylie Barron each recorded early kills to lead 3-1 in set one.
• IU-Kokomo started to find their rhythm behind three service aces from Kaley Lyons. A 6-0 run would force a Golden Eagle timeout trailing 12-9. 
• A Kylie Barron kill and block with Jada Thomas helped CU get back within one. More Cougar aces moved their lead right back to four though at 15-11. 
• Cornerstone continued to battle back, tying the set at 16 with a Gabrielle VerBerkmoes kill and a Kylie Andras service ace. 
• Dyllan Hanna then entered and recorded a service ace to put CU back in front 18-17. IU-Kokomo would use their first timeout of the set. 
• Neither team could garnish more than a one point lead the rest of the way. CU was the first to get to set point thanks to a solo block from Jada Thomas and a Cougar attack error. 
• A block by IU-Kokomo kept the set going, tying things at 24 all. 
• Cornerstone saw three chances in total at set point but were unable to put it away. IU-Kokomo recorded another ace from Kaley Lyons to win set one 29-27 on their second set point opportunity.

 Set Two:

• Momentum completely shifted to IU-Kokomo in set two as the Cougars got out to an 8-1 advantage. IUK hit above .500 in the early run. 
• Cornerstone started to chip back into the deficit with a 3-0 run highlighted by a kill from Jada Thomas. 
• CU used a timeout after IUK extended the lead back to eight at 16-8. 
• Cornerstone could not stop the bleeding as they fell in set two, 25-11. 

Set Three:

• Blocks from Cornerstone's Kylie Barron Hannah Giere, and Aubrey Lenz helped them respond with a strong start to set three, going on top 4-1. 
• The Cougars responded with a huge run to again take command. They scored eight of nine before Cornerstone called a timeout trailing 11-7. 
• After the timeout, IUK continued to win at the service line moving their run to 14-2 advancing their lead to 17-8. 
• Gabrielle VerBerkmoes ended the run with a kill that sparked a 3-0 Golden Eagle run. 
• IU-Kokomo would cruise the rest of the way to take set three 25-15 and win the match in straight sets. 

 
By the Numbers:
20-9 – The service line hurt CU on the day as their opponents recorded 20 aces to their nine. 
18 – Kylie Barron led the way with 18 kills on the day between the two matches. 
26/10 – Aubrey Lenz recorded a double-double in the first game of the year with 26 assists and 10 digs. 
 
What's Next?
The Golden Eagles continue action at the IU-Kokomo Tournament tomorrow with a single match vs. another receiving votes team in Campbellsville (Ky.) at 10 a.m.  
 
Volleyball Contact: Jesse Campbell 
CU Athletics: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Volleyball: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram