Lady Royals Open 2025 Season with Four-Match Split

KNOXVILLE, TENN - The Johnson University volleyball team opened its 2025 season with four matches over two days in Kentucky and Tennessee, finishing the weekend with a 2–2 record. The Royals earned wins over Goshen and Shawnee State, while dropping contests to nationally ranked Lindsey Wilson and host Campbellsville.

Friday Sweep of Goshen

The Royals started their season strong on Friday, August 15, with a convincing 3–0 sweep of Goshen College (25–19, 25–23, 25–18) at the Biggers Sports Center. Johnson tallied 32 kills in the match, led by Kiersten Bell with 10 and Abigail Brown with seven. Setter Hannah Lukey directed the offense with 12 assists and added two service aces, while libero Marissa McMahon collected 10 digs to pace the defense.

Battling the Blue Raiders

Later that day, Johnson faced a tough test against perennial power Lindsey Wilson, ultimately falling 3–1 (25–17, 25–16, 19–25, 25–13). The Royals found their rhythm in the third set with 10 kills and a .154 hitting percentage to take the frame, but the Blue Raiders closed the match strong behind a .379 hitting clip in the fourth【user data】.

Abigail Brown and Makiyah Greenlee each notched seven kills, while Lukey added four kills, eight assists, and 10 digs. McMahon led the back row with 16 digs, and Luci Morris chipped in four kills and three block assists.

Saturday Morning vs. Campbellsville

Johnson returned to action Saturday morning against host Campbellsville University and dropped a 3–1 decision (25–18, 19–25, 25–21, 25–15). Brown once again paced the attack with 18 kills on a .351 hitting percentage. Morris was strong in the middle with eight kills and four blocks, while Mackenzie Collins chipped in 11 digs and three aces. Despite the Royals' defensive effort, Campbellsville's balanced offense proved the difference, hitting .279 as a team.

Five-Set Thriller Over Shawnee State

The Royals closed the weekend with a dramatic five-set victory over Shawnee State (25–21, 25–22, 14–25, 20–25, 15–12) in Powell. Brown turned in another stellar performance with 22 kills and eight digs, while Morris added 10 kills and a team-high 10 block assists. Setter Caelyn Marshall tallied 24 assists, and McMahon anchored the back row with 18 digs.

From the Team

Head Coach Robin Vannoy praised her team's effort across the weekend:

"It was a great opportunity to see several players in different positions. I knew the competition would be fierce this weekend and it helped us see what we needed to work on going into conference play in September," Vannoy said.

Senior outside hitter Abigail Brown, who finished the weekend with 54 kills, was also encouraged by the team's performance:

"This weekend's tournament showed us a lot, we saw plenty of good things to build on and also some areas where we need improvement. I'm really proud of how our freshmen and transfers were able to find their rhythm with us returners, and I'm excited to see how we continue to grow together throughout the season," Brown said.

Looking Ahead

With a 2–2 start, the Lady Royals showed both promise and areas for growth, highlighted by Brown's consistency at the net and Morris' defensive presence in the middle. Johnson will look to carry the momentum from its five-set win over Shawnee State into the rest of its non-conference schedule before conference play begins in September.