Trojans Sweep Past Kentucky Wesleyan, Build Momentum in Conference Race
NASHVILLE, TN - The Trevecca Nazarene University women’s volleyball team delivered a decisive statement. The Trojans swept Kentucky Wesleyan 3-0, improving to 7-8 overall and 4-1 in conference play. They are presently tied for second with Lee in the Gulf South Conference and play against them in a pivotal matchup this Saturday, October 3 in Cleveland, Tennessee.
Coach Emily Moore watched her squad execute the game plan with clarity and composure. “Obviously, it was a three-set sweep. We executed our game plan, which is trying to control first contacts, trying to be really defensive, wait for our opportunity to score,” Moore said. “A few unforced errors that I’d like to work on cleaning up moving forward, but really, really pleased with how we played tonight.”
The performance reflected a deliberate arc Moore had mapped since preseason. Trevecca endured a demanding non-conference slate that tested a young roster featuring a new setter and players adapting to unfamiliar roles. Those early challenges, Moore noted, prepared the team for conference competition. “We put ourselves through quite the gauntlet... and that’s reflected in our record, but it really prepared us to compete with our conference opponents. You gotta win in conference and make your tournament, but I want this team to be peaking, to be hitting its stride now as we’re going into October.”
Standout individual efforts underscored the collective growth. Katilyn Grant, the senior middle blocker and recent offensive player of the week, continued her strong form. “Our team’s really connecting and just proving ourselves,” Grant said. A transfer who found her place at Trevecca last fall, she emphasized trust and shared effort: “I trust everybody behind me and next to me on the court. Once they’re putting in the work, I try to pick up my part too.”
Isabella Sherrod, stepping into a larger role after transitioning from defensive specialist to outside hitter, delivered a standout night with double-digit kills. Lily Vanbebber, defensive player of the week who recently surpassed her 1,000th dig for Trevecca, anchored the back row. Setter Brynne Krangnes, also recognized as a player of the week, orchestrated the attack with precision. Junior outside hitter Kayla Bullard, who has grown into a mentoring role, described the night’s focus simply: “We’ve been keeping focuses with keeping easy, easy... staying on top of things and just getting the next ball.”
Moore has coached at Trevecca for nine seasons and has been part of Nashville volleyball since 2008. She recruits athletes first and builds systems around them rather than forcing a single style. The result, she said, is a program defined as much by character as by wins. “One of the things I’m most proud of is the culture that we’ve built here... people being excited about who we are as volleyball players, but as people out in the community, on campus, in Nashville.”
With the conference season still young and a critical road trip to face Lee looming, the Trojans appear to be finding their rhythm at the right time. A young team that once needed time to connect is now playing with purpose, controlling the ball, and outlasting opponents. For Moore and her players, the sweep was not merely a result—it was confirmation that the arc of the season is tracking exactly where it needs to be.
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