CHARLESTON – Friday, Charleston Southern would split their two matches on day one of the 2025 Bash at the Beach event in Daytona, Florida – losing to the Jacksonville Dolphins in four sets (12-25, 25-21, 23-25, 16-25) and beating the hosting Bethune-Cookman Wildcats in five sets (21-25, 25-19, 25-21, 23-25, 18-16).

To start the day, the VolleyBucs would take on a (4-2) Jacksonville volleyball program who took a set from #9 ranked Pitt just five days prior. An 8-1 run by the Dolphins in the middle of the match's first set would give Jacksonville enough of a cushion to pick-up their first set win of the 2025 Bash at the Beach tournament.

The match's second set would resemble the first, except this one in CSU's positive direction. A 9-0 run by the Bucs, led by three Tristin Sutton service aces, would earn CSU a 19-9 lead. Despite the Dolphins creeping back in the set to potentially pull off a 10-point comeback, kills by Sutton (22-18), Emily Struckmeyer (23-19), Faith Burch (24-20), and Emma Bednarek (25-21) would seal the second set deal for Charleston Southern, 25-21.

Jacksonville's momentum from a near comeback effort in set number two, continued to roll in set three. The Dolphins would lead CSU 24-14 before that momentum halted. A Charleston Southern 9-0 run would bring the Bucs within one point of tying things up at 24. The run would stop at nine as a kill by Jacksonville's Rebekah Williams, who finished with 11 on the day, would give the 'Phins a one-set lead (25-23).

Two Buccaneers, Oliwia Durka and Emmy Rollins, would make their season debut against Jacksonville. Despite both having kills in set number four, CSU would fall 25-16, giving Jacksonville their 5th win of the season.

Later in the day, CSU would take the floor again against the host of the 2025 Bash at the Beach event, the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats. Before Friday's match-up, Charleston Southern held an undefeated 4-0 record against BCU.

After sweeping the South Carolina State Bulldogs earlier in the day, the home team Wildcats would continue their hot momentum against the Bucs – jumping out to a 8-2 lead in set one. A 6-1 run by BCU later in the set would increase the gap to a point CSU could not close, resulting in Bethune-Cookman winning their first set in program history against the team from Lowcountry (25-21).

The Buccaneers flipped the momentum in set number two, scoring seven of the set's first eight points (7-1). A 6-0 run by CSU later in the set would stretch the lead to 23-16. Although they only recorded 6 service errors on the day, one of them would end the match's second set – CSU wins set number two 25-19.

Competitive would be a major understatement when describing set three – a set that would include nine lead changes and ties. The Wildcats would stay within one or two points with CSU until their last three points were recorded by a Buc who made her season debut earlier that same day, Oliwia Durka. CSU would seal the set (25-21) and a 2-1 lead in the match. Of those final three points by Durka, two of them would be set by sophomore setter Tristin Sutton. The Sutton-Durka duo was nothing short of undeniable Friday night. Sutton connected with Durka on 14 of Durka's 18 kills on the night, 6 of them happening in set number three.

Set number four would stay fairly tight, mostly led by CSU, until point number 16, when it was all tied up again. Bethune-Cookman would take the lead with point 17, and eventually stretched that advantage to 21-19. Charleston Southern would score the following two points, tying things at 21, resulting in a time-out taken by the Wildcats. Kills by several BCU players would shock both the Bucs and the crowd… the Bash at the Beach Friday finale was heading to a fifth set (25-23 BCU).

The momentum would carry over again for the 'Cats as they would hold the lead for nearly the entire fifth set (14-11). A BCU service error (14-12 BCU), a block by Emily Struckmeyer and Oliwia Durka (14-13 BCU), a BCU attacking error (14-14), and a Tristin Sutton kill would give the Bucs their first lead of a crucial final set. Two kills by Bethune-Cookman's Kayleigh Williams would retake the lead (16-15 BCU). Just one point away from victory and their first win over CSU in school history, the Wildcats would not score again. An Emily Struckmeyer kill and two BCU attacking errors would result in a 18-16 win for the Buccaneers, their fourth of the 2025 season.

Receiving Head Coach Carry Brown's Player of the Match title would be Oliwia Durka. Durka posted 18 kills, a .250 attacking percentage, and 5 total blocks in the five-set brawl.

Notables:

• After being sidelined all of last season (injury), Emmy Rollins made her return to the volleyball court for the first time since November of 2023 in Friday's match vs Jacksonville.

• In her first match in roughly 22 months, Rollins posted a career-high 7 digs vs Jacksonville.

• Skylar Yates' 4 service aces not only ties her career-high, but is a season-high for CSU.

• Tristin Sutton tied her career-high of 3 service aces vs Jacksonville as well as recording a career-high 3 kills.

• Oliwia Durka made her CSU debut vs Jacksonville and posted 7 kills and 5 total blocks, both ranking second on the team for Friday's first match.

• Skylar Yates' 19 kills against Bethune-Cookman is a new season-high for CSU.

• Oliwia Durka's 18 kills against Bethune-Cookman is the second most by a Buc this season.

Up Next:

CSU will finish their 2025 Bash at the Beach competition Saturday (September 13th) morning as they take on fellow Palmetto State school, South Carolina State at 11:00 AM on The CatEye Network.

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