Volleyball Falls on Senior Day

ATHENS, Tenn. — Tennessee Wesleyan showed its trademark grit and fight on Saturday morning, battling back from a two-set deficit before ultimately falling to Brenau University 3–1 (13–25, 8–25, 25–22, 19–25) in Appalachian Athletic Conference play inside James L. Robb Gymnasium.

After a slow start in the first two frames, the Bulldogs (16–8, 8–4 AAC) came alive in the third set behind the leadership of Alley Hibdon and Savannah Jones, who helped ignite a strong offensive turnaround. Hibdon dished out assists from all over the court while adding several key kills herself, while Jones delivered timely swings to keep TWU in control of long rallies.

The Bulldogs' momentum built early in the third, sparked by a service ace from Sydney Nyitrai and back-to-back kills from Nyah Hudson and Hunter Ford that gave TWU an early cushion. Brenau tried to rally late, but the Bulldogs held firm behind a balanced effort that included steady passing from Talynn Wheeler and clutch defense from Megan Thompson. TWU closed out the frame 25–22 to extend the match.

In the fourth, Tennessee Wesleyan continued to battle, trading points deep into the set. Hudson and Kianna Wickham each added crucial kills, while Hibdon's quick sets kept the attack unpredictable. The Bulldogs trimmed the deficit to 20–16 before Brenau managed a late run to secure the match.

Despite the setback, Tennessee Wesleyan's resilience and team chemistry shone through in the comeback effort. The Bulldogs return to action next week looking to regain their winning rhythm as they continue the push toward AAC tournament play.