Bulldogs Extend Winning Streak To Six With Four-Game Win Over Western Carolina
September 11, 2007 | Volleyball
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Fresh off the Runnin' Bulldog Classic title, the Gardner-Webb volleyball team held off a feisty Western Carolina squad for a 3-1 (30-19, 26-30, 30-25, 30-25) win Tuesday evening, extending its win streak to six matches – its longest since becoming a Division I member.
The Bulldogs improve to 7-5 on the year while the Catamounts fall to 3-8.
Senior Ashley Pridgeon had a superb evening, slamming home 26 kills in just 43 attempts for a .488 attack percentage. Junior Heidi Steinebrunner was the other GWU student-athlete to reach double figures for kills, recording 22 for the match.
Reigning Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Week Regina Feagin dished out 57 assists while recording 14 digs for another double-double. Bethany Martin chipped in eight kills.
On the defensive front, junior Katie Matykowski had a team-high 19 digs while senior Audra Harrison and Steinebrunner tallied 13 and 11, respectively.
Sophomore Jessica Clayton tied her career high with seven kills. Clayton had just two errors in 13 total attempts for a .385 attack percentage.
Although the Bulldogs had an early 10-5 lead in game one, the Catamounts came back to take a three-point lead on an attack error by Steinebrunner. However, GWU knotted the score at 15-15 while Pridgeon sliced the defense with a deadly kill off a pass from Harrison.
After trading points, GWU took the lead for good on a miscue by WCU's Katie Hennessey at 17-16, sparking a 13-3 run to end the match. Doing in the Catamounts in the first game were unforced errors.
In game two, the Bulldogs found themselves facing a 10-5 deficit, but the squad came back to knot the score at 11-11. After trading the next 12 points, WCU put together a small scoring run only to see GWU once again paw its way back into the contest.
With the score tied at 22-22, Ali Rook gave the home team the lead for good with a kill. WCU took a three-point lead only to see an ace by Matykowski trim the lead to one at 26-25. However, the Catamounts were able to stave off another Bulldog victory, winning the game 30-26.
Game three once again featured a tight contest, primarily due to the style of play by WCU. Tied at 12-12, GWU took the lead for good when Ali Rook had an attacking error. The game continued to be close, but two kills by Pridgeon, one by Martin and another by Harrison gave the Red and Black a 27-20 lead. WCU had a small run, but it was mainly due to unforced errors by GWU. Meredith Harmon's service error ended the comeback bid by the Catamounts.
Up 2-1, the Bulldogs came out on fire in what turned out to be the final game of the match. GWU sparked a 7-1 lead to open the match and held a 10-3 advantage on a Steinebrunner kill. However, WCU would fight back, pulling to within three at 13-10. Once again, the Bulldogs proved they could withstand the pressure, even when the Catamounts sliced the lead to two at 24-22.
In what is becoming a regular occurrence, Pridgeon spiked the ball for a three-point lead, 25-22. She then added another kill for a 26-22 advantage before Matykowski recorded an ace. An attack error by the home team put the Bulldogs up six. A few plays later, Feagin's kill ended the match with GWU victorious.
"Midway through the first game, I thought we figured out WCU's game," head coach Chris Phillips said. "We adjusted to their slow speed, but we never hit on all cylinders tonight.
"They couldn't stop our outsides, so we continued to go to them because they were put in one-on-one situations.
"This weekend, we will have to step it up again if we are to win."
The Bulldogs head to Myrtle Beach, S.C., for a tournament at
Coastal Carolina. GWU opens with Coastal Carolina at 12:30 p.m., on
Friday before facing Delaware Friday afternoon at 4:30 p.m.
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