Top Dawg Challenge All-Tournament Team

INDIANAPOLIS – The Butler volleyball team fought back from a set down and later a deficit in the fifth set to defeat Akron 3-2 (25-18, 19-25, 17-25, 25-16, 15-8) on Saturday night in Hinkle Fieldhouse in the finale of the Top Dawg Challenge. For their efforts, Autumn Flowers, Jaymeson Kinley and Megan Sheridan were named to the All-Tournament Team, with Kinley being named the MVP (66 digs on the weekend, 5.50 per set).

Set 1: Butler 25-18
The Bulldogs got out to a 5-2 lead thanks to two kills each from Flowers and Amina Shackelford. Later, leading 11-9, Butler went on a 7-0 rally highlighted by Flowers, Shackelford and Mariah Grunze kills to extend the lead to nine, cruising from there. Shackelford (five kills, three blocks) and Flowers (four kills, four blocks) led the Bulldog scoring in the opening frame, while Jaymeson Kinley posted six digs.

Set 2: Akron 25-19
The Zips used a 5-0 run early in the set to lead 10-5. Shackelford (four kills in the set), Grunze (three) and Megan Sheridan (three) tried to get the Bulldogs back in it, but Akron led by at least two the rest of the way. Shackelford also added three block assists on the defensive end in the second frame.

Set 3: Akron 25-17
Akron sprinted out to a 10-0 lead and never looked back. The streak included back-to-back-to-back aces from Teagan Ochaya and three kills by Faith Johnson. A 6-1 Butler run thanks to two kills from Marisa Guisti and one from Shackelford got the Bulldogs within five late in the set, but the Zips closed it out with a 4-1 run. Shackelford put down three kills in the third frame.

Set 4: Butler 25-16
Back-to-back Flowers and Shackelford kills got the Bulldogs off to a good start, then they did it again to build a 6-3 Butler lead. The Bulldogs later went on a 6-1 run thanks to kills from Guisti, Sheridan and Cora Taylor to extend the advantage to 13-6 midway through the set. Butler would steadily build the lead to as much as 11 at 21-10, clinching the set on a Grunze kill. Flowers, Grunze, Guisti, Shackelford and Sheridan all had multiple kills to lead the Bulldog offense in the fourth frame.

Set 5: Butler 15-8
After falling behind 5-1 early, Butler stormed back, using two Sheridan kills as part of a 6-0 run to go up 7-5. Ahead 9-7 later, the Bulldogs used a 6-1 streak, culminating with another Sheridan kill, to clinch the set and match. Sheridan's five kills and Taylor's two kills carried Butler in the fifth and final frame.

Stat of the Match
The Bulldogs outblocked the Zips 16-0.

Inside the Box Score
- Shackelford tallied 15 kills, nine block assists and four digs.
- Sheridan went for 14 kills, six digs and a block.
- Kinley contributed 20 digs and two assists.
- Grunze posted eight kills, 14 digs, an assist and a block.
- Guisti stuffed the stat sheet with seven kills, nine blocks and six digs.

Up Next
Butler travels west for the Denver Invitational, playing Hofstra and Denver on Friday, Sept. 2 followed by a game with Portland on Saturday, Sept. 3.