No. 7 Seed Union Commonwealth Falls to No. 2 Seed Johnson in AAC Tournament Quarterfinals

KINGSPORT, Tenn. – Union Commonwealth University's women's volleyball team (12-19, 11-8 AAC) fell to Johnson (31-6, 17-2 AAC) Friday afternoon at the MeadowView Marriott Convention Center & Conference Resort, 3-1.

Union lost both regular-season matchups to Johnson, 3-0 and 3-1. Johnson completed the season sweep with another four-set win, taking the match 23-25, 25-19, 25-20 and 25-19.

Game Recap

Set 1: Union Commonwealth 25, Johnson 23
Union and Johnson traded early runs, eventually locking the score at 10-10 and again at 12-12. Johnson then put together a 6-2 run to move ahead 18-14, but Union answered with a 5-1 push to tie it at 19-19. The set stayed close until 23-23, when kills from Rylee Stookey and Ginevra Girardo lifted Union to a 25-23 opening-set win.

Top Performers: Girardo led with three kills, three aces and two blocks. Stookey added five kills. Benefield had three blocks and a kill, and Jersey Glass posted three kills and a block.

Set 2: Johnson 25, Union Commonwealth 19
Johnson opened with a 4-1 run before Union responded with three straight points to tie it at 4-4. The teams remained even at 9-9, but after Union went ahead 12-9, Johnson countered with a decisive 7-1 run to take control at 16-13. The Royals extended their lead with a 6-1 stretch to make it 22-16. Union attempted a late push, but Johnson closed the set 25-19 to even the match at 1-1.

Top Performers: Girardo posted two kills and two blocks. Benefield added three kills.

Set 3: Johnson 25, Union Commonwealth 20
Johnson held the lead for most of the third set, but Union rallied to tie it at 15-15. The Royals regained momentum immediately and pulled back in front, maintaining their advantage on the way to a 25-20 win. The loss put Union behind 2-1 in the match.

Top Performers: Benefield recorded two kills and two blocks. Girardo added two kills and a block.

Set 4: Johnson 25, Union Commonwealth 19
Union opened the must-win set with a 3-1 run but saw Johnson quickly respond to tie it at 4-4. The Royals surged ahead and built a 14-7 lead. Union trimmed the deficit to three at 16-13 and again at 20-17, but Johnson closed the match by scoring five of the final seven points to take the set 25-19 and the match 3-1.

Top Performers: Stookey led with three kills. Benefield and Cynthia Davidson added two kills each.

By the Numbers

• Points: Girardo – 13.5

• Kills: Stookey – 12

• Assists: Sarah Charkosky – 20

• Blocks: Benefield, Girardo – 5

• Digs: Sydney Worde – 17

Up Next

The Bulldogs head into the offseason and prepare for the 2026 campaign.