Bulldogs Fall To League-Leading High Point
October 17, 2008 | Volleyball
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The Gardner-Webb women's volleyball team had the league leading High Point Panthers right where they wanted them in all three sets, but the squad was unable to overcome a late spurt by the Panthers in each set, allowing the visiting team to take a 3-0 (18-25, 20-25, 21-25) win Friday evening.
The Bulldogs fall to 4-18 on the season and 2-6 in conference competition. The Panthers improve to 20-3 on the year and remain unbeaten at 8-0 in Big South play.
Leading the way for GWU were a pair of teammates, Laura Wilcox and Heidi Steinebrunner. Each student-athlete posted 10 kills. Wilcox nearly posted a double-double after amassing nine digs to go along with an assist, a solo block and three block assists. Steinebrunner notched five digs, an ace and a block assist in the contest.
Junior Regina Feagin had a hand in 34 of the Bulldogs' 36 assists after dishing out 32 to add to her two kills. Feagin also had five digs and two block assists.
On the defensive side of the ball, senior Katie Matykowski and rookie Evan Moffitt each played superb, notching a match-high 20 digs apiece. Junior Brett Wilson, making her first start of the season, tallied eight digs and made multiple solid effort plays allowing the Bulldogs to keep control of the ball.
The difference in the match was at the point of attack. There, GWU hit just .070 while the Panthers amassed a hitting percentage of .167.
GWU jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first set off of kills by Lauren Evans and Wilcox, combining with an ace from Moffitt. HPU quickly knotted the score and the teams battled back-and-forth until GWU tied the match on a kill from Wilcox, making the score 11-11. With Lauren Hatch back to serve, the Bulldogs were unable to maintain solid control of her unusual serves, allowing Lindsay Raus to put away three straight kills and five in seven attempts as the visitors raced out to a 19-11 lead.
From there, the squad never really was threatened in the set, but saw the Bulldogs make a valiant effort as the team pulled within four at 22-18. However, the team could get no closer in the 25-18 loss.
GWU tallied the first four points of the second set and garnered a 7-3 advantage on a kill by Steinebrunner. HPU returned with a spurt of its own, netting nine of the next 11 points for a 12-9 lead. The Panthers held an 18-13 advantage before the Bulldogs began furiously battling back. Steinebrunner's ace pulled GWU within three, 19-16, forcing Chad Esposito to call a timeout.
After the break, the Panthers scored two quick points to widen the lead. A kill from Wilcox put the score at 23-18 in favor of HPU. Back-to-back attack errors from Ashley Mellott, one of which was a block by Feagin and Wilcox, forced the visitors into its final timeout of the set. Mellott stepped up with a kill as did Stephanie Wallin, ending the set at 25-20.
In the third frame, GWU trailed 11-9 before Evans stepped up and slammed home a ball that landed between three Panther defenders. Wilson dropped back to serve and the Bulldogs the team tied the contest on an error by Wallin. Wilson then hit the ball just right on the next serve. The ball fluttered toward the net and eventually touched it before falling straight down to the floor on HPU's side. The freshman tandem of Wilcox and Evans stuffed Anna Lott, putting the score at 13-11.
After a quick timeout by HPU and an attack error by GWU, the Bulldogs' Moffitt got hold of the ball just right and made the score 14-12.
GWU was unable to sustain the momentum as four miscues and five solid plays by HPU gave the visitors a 21-14 advantage. Only Wilcox's kill silenced the Panthers' fans momentarily. An attack error by Audie Gonzalez and another kill by Wilcox closed the gap to four, 21-17. However, a timeout by HPU got the team back on track as it closed out the match 25-21.
The Bulldogs will look to end their losing skid Tuesday night
when they play host to Presbyterian at 7 p.m.
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