Reinhardt drops 3-1 road match at Cumberland

LEBANON, Tenn. - Reinhardt University opened with a first-set win Tuesday afternoon, but Cumberland University answered with three straight sets to hand the Eagles a 3-1 loss in men's volleyball at Dallas Floyd Phoenix Arena. Cumberland won by set scores of 20-25, 26-24, 25-22, 25-16.

Reinhardt took control early by claiming the opening set, finishing it on a service ace from Denny Martinez for a 25-20 edge. The Eagles totaled 54 kills in the match and briefly carried that momentum into the second set, where the teams traded points deep into extra rallies. Cumberland escaped with a 26-24 win to even the match, then used another tight finish in the third set to move in front for good.

The second and third sets proved decisive. Cumberland edged the Eagles 26-24 in the second, then closed out the third 25-22 after a late block credited to Richards on a Reinhardt attack error by Martinez. That sequence gave the home side a 2-1 match lead. Cumberland then pulled away in the fourth, sealing the match at 25-16 on a kill by Frederick Amegbletor off an assist from Austin Kuehler.

Jakub Aniolczyk led Reinhardt with 18 kills and 21.5 points, adding two aces and three total blocks. Gabriel Gutierrez also gave the Eagles a steady offensive presence with 13 kills and 15.0 points, while Reinhardt finished with 52 set assists, five aces and 36 digs. Even in the loss, the Eagles produced more kills than Cumberland, 54-50.

The difference came in efficiency at the net. Cumberland hit .346 as a team compared with Reinhardt's .195 clip, committing only 14 attack errors to the Eagles' 31. Cumberland also controlled play with 15 total blocks, led by Amegbletor's seven block assists and 13.5 points. Joao Infante paced Cumberland with 15 kills and 17.5 points, while Kuehler directed the offense with 42 assists and four total blocks.

Reinhardt stayed competitive through the first three sets, but Cumberland's blocking and cleaner attack numbers turned the match in the closing stages, capped by Amegbletor's match-ending kill in the fourth.