Bulldogs Win Five-Set Thriller In Dramatic Fashion, 3-2
October 21, 2008 | Volleyball
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – With the match on the line, the Gardner-Webb volleyball team turned to senior Heidi Steinebrunner, who came through in the clutch with three consecutive kills as the squad came back from a 2-0 deficit to beat Presbyterian 3-2 (22-25, 19-25, 25-21, 25-19, 17-15) Tuesday evening in front of 218 fans in a crucial Big South Conference contest.
The Bulldogs improve to 5-18 on the season and 3-6 in the Big
South. The Blue Hose fall to 6-15 overall and 3-6 in conference
competition.
Steinebrunner powered home a match-high 22 kills, including the
final three points of the match while rookies Laura Wilcox and
Lauren Evans each notched double figures in kills. Wilcox amassed
16 while Evans posted 12. Wilcox also posted 13 digs to go along
with an ace, an assist and a block assist.
Bethany Martin chipped in six kills while Evan Moffitt added five.
Moffit had a superb all-around contest as she tallied 20 digs, two
block assists, two assists and an ace. Feagin paced the offense
with a match-best 56 assists.
As a team, GWU totaled 65 kills, 62 of which were assisted. The
Bulldogs managed to record 83 digs as senior Katie Matykowski had a
match-best 25. Rookie Tamia Herholz was the fourth GWU
student-athlete to hit double figures for digs as she recorded
12.
The Bulldogs, who had struggled as of late on the offensive front,
hit .250 for the evening. GWU hit an outstanding .333 in the last
frame, connecting on 13 kills while committing just two errors.
"It was huge to have our offense come alive," Matykowski said. "We've struggled lately, but tonight we were able to put balls away and come out on top."
After tying the match at two sets apiece, the Bulldogs fell behind
2-0 before Wilcox posted back-to-back kills to tie the contest. An
attack error by Heather Swain gave GWU the lead at 3-2.
Steinebrunner continued to find openings in the PC defense as she
pounded home back-to-back kills, forcing the Blue Hose to call a
timeout. Feagin's kill after the break made it 6-2.
The Blue Hose slowly clawed their way back into the match before
eventually tying it on a block by Amanda Kettles and Lisa Shelley
at 8-8. The teams traded points until Evans' kill gave GWU an 11-10
lead. However, the visitors wouldn't go away, tying the score at
12-12.
PC won two of the next three points, giving them match point. The
Blue Hose's Elizabeth Heineman knotted the score at 14-14. As the
Bulldogs looked to claim the lead for good, Feagin was called for a
ball handling error, negating a slam by Steinebrunner that would've
given the team momentum.
As PC once again had match point, Matykowski made a perfect pass to
Feagin, who found Steinebrunner for the kill, tying the match and
deflating the Blue Hose's hopes for a win. Steinebrunner connected
on the final two points of the match as the crowd of 218 erupted
and the Bulldogs put a stop to their seven-match losing streak.
Down by two sets heading into the intermission, head coach Chris
Phillips' talk did the trick. With the score tied at 4-4, GWU
tallied four of the next six points for an 8-6 lead. PC climbed
within one on four occasions, but a timeout by Phillips stopped the
bleeding.
Steinebrunner recorded a kill, sparking a 4-0 run by the home team.
PC wouldn't go away though, as Rachel Lewis found an empty spot for
an ace, pulling the visitors within one at 17-16.
After a timeout, Lewis committed an error before Wilcox and Evans
stuffed Justine Lanchester, giving the Bulldogs a 19-16 lead.
Moffitt's ace and Wilcox's kill put the Bulldogs up five, which was
enough of a cushion as GWU won the set 25-21.
Still down 2-1 after three sets, GWU came out aggressive in the
fourth set, taking a 6-3 lead on an error by Lanchester. PC tied
the score at 9-9, forcing a timeout by Phillips. Martin answered
the call as she found the back left corner of the court wide open
off a pass from Feagin. Martin followed it up with an ace and an
attack error put the Bulldogs up three.
After a point by PC, GWU went on a 5-0 run. Kills by Wilcox and
Evans were key, but Kelsey McKee had two errors while Lanchester
had one. GWU maintained its lead as the closest the Blue Hose got
the rest of the way was four, 22-18. Moffitt and Wilcox had kills
as the Red and Black put the fourth set away and forcing the
critical fifth set.
"It feels really good to play like the team we know we are," Matykowski said. "We need to keep moving forward and improve. We can't go in a slump. We face everyone in the league for a second time and we know what to expect. Now is our time to put things together and play well."
The Bulldogs return to action Friday evening as they travel to Rock
Hill, S.C., to take on Winthrop at 7 p.m.
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