Royals Fall in Five-Set Battle Against Tennessee Wesleyan
October 7, 2025
In a closely contested volleyball clash at the Graham Center, Knoxville, TN, The Royals battled Tennessee Wesleyan on October 7, 2025. The match, part of the regular season schedule for the Royals, saw a series of intense exchanges across five sets, ultimately ending in a 3-2 victory for Tennessee Wesleyan.
The match commenced with the Royals taking an early lead, securing the first set 25-22. Tennessee Wesleyan responded decisively in the second set, closing it 25-19. Johnson University regained momentum in the third set, triumphing with a score of 25-18, demonstrating strong offensive and defensive plays. The fourth set was tightly contested, but Tennessee Wesleyan edged out a victory at 25-23. The fifth and final set saw Tennessee Wesleyan secure the match with a 15-10 win.
Key players for the Royals included Abigail Brown with 9 kills, Luci Morris who also tallied 8 kills and topped the blocking stats with 3 blocks along with Brown. Ariah Gourley added to the defensive effort with impressive digs, totaling 8 for the match. Serving also played a critical role, with Hannah Lukey and Caelyn Marshall each contributing two aces to the team's efforts.
Coach Robin Vannoy commented on the team's performance, expressing pride in their resilience: 'We battled hard tonight, but just came up short. Proud of the fight our girls showed from start to finish.' The Royals, now standing at 16-5, 5-2 for the season, are looking forward to their next game on October 10, 2025, at home against Montreat (NC).
The match commenced with the Royals taking an early lead, securing the first set 25-22. Tennessee Wesleyan responded decisively in the second set, closing it 25-19. Johnson University regained momentum in the third set, triumphing with a score of 25-18, demonstrating strong offensive and defensive plays. The fourth set was tightly contested, but Tennessee Wesleyan edged out a victory at 25-23. The fifth and final set saw Tennessee Wesleyan secure the match with a 15-10 win.
Key players for the Royals included Abigail Brown with 9 kills, Luci Morris who also tallied 8 kills and topped the blocking stats with 3 blocks along with Brown. Ariah Gourley added to the defensive effort with impressive digs, totaling 8 for the match. Serving also played a critical role, with Hannah Lukey and Caelyn Marshall each contributing two aces to the team's efforts.
Coach Robin Vannoy commented on the team's performance, expressing pride in their resilience: 'We battled hard tonight, but just came up short. Proud of the fight our girls showed from start to finish.' The Royals, now standing at 16-5, 5-2 for the season, are looking forward to their next game on October 10, 2025, at home against Montreat (NC).
