Bulldogs Drop Match At UNC Asheville
November 04, 2008 | Volleyball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The Gardner-Webb volleyball team played three close sets to UNC Asheville Tuesday evening, but was unable to overcome late runs by the home team in each set as the Bulldogs fell by a 3-0 score (21-25, 20-25, 21-25).
The Bulldogs fall to 5-22 on the season and 3-10 in Big South play. UNCA improves to 13-11 overall and 5-6 in conference competition.
Leading the way for GWU was the Big South New Balance Freshman of the Week Laura Wilcox. The rookie posted a team-high 10 kills while hitting .267. Senior Heidi Steinebrunner notched nine kills while junior Jessica Clayton had a season-high seven in the loss.
Junior Regina Feagin narrowly missed a double-double as she had 36 assists and eight digs. Defensively, senior Katie Matykowski totaled a team-best 13 digs. Rookie Evan Moffitt chipped in nine while junior Brett Wilson had seven. Clayton's three block assists were a match high. Stieinebrunner amassed two block assists while Moffitt had one. Feagin had GWU's only solo block.
In the first set, GWU managed a 7-5 lead after running off five consecutive points. A kill by Bethany Martin ignited the fire. The Bulldogs tallied the next point on a mistake by the home team before Martin fired back with her second kill of the evening. Feagin then crossed up Kelsey Benorden for an ace while an attack error by UNCA gave head coach Chris Phillips' team a 7-5 advantage.
UNCA would rally back, scoring the next five points for a 10-7 lead. The teams continued to trade points, but GWU netted four straight points behind rookies Evans and Wilcox, who posted back-to-back kills. Steinebrunner got in the mix with a kill before Evans' service ace put the Bulldogs up 15-13.
After the home team tied the set at 15-15, Wilcox untied it momentarily with a slam. UNCA would come back, however. The Bulldogs tied the score at 18 off a kill by Benorden and took a lead on an attack error by GWU. With the score tied at 19-19, UNCA ran off four straight points, essentially putting the set out of reach as the homestanding Bulldogs won 25-21.
The two teams played even through the first 14 points of the second set. Evan Moffitt's kill gave GWU an 8-7 lead and an attack error by Jenna Dover gave the Bulldogs a two-point cushion. The teams traded the next two points before UNCA ran off three straight points, two of which came from attack errors.
Steinebrunner's kill tied the score at 12-12. Steinebrunner and Jessica Clayton teamed up to block the next ball, giving the visitors a 13-12 lead. The home Bulldogs then ran off three consecutive scores, forcing Phillips to call a timeout.
The Bulldogs responded by pulling within one on a kill by Feagin,
but UNCA widened its lead to three at 17-14. Overall, UNCA went on
a 5-1 run, giving the home squad a lead the Bulldogs were unable to
slice into despite their best effort. UNCA went on to win the
second set by a 25-20 score.
In the third set UNCA got things going early, running out to a 10-4 lead. Clayton, who has missed much of the year due to an injury, had two kills as the Bulldogs cut into the lead by going on a 4-1 run.
Trailing 14-10, Feagin dished back-to-back passes to Wilcox, who slammed home two kills. Matykowski carved up the defense for a service ace, pulling Phillips' team within one at 14-13.
With the score tied at 15-15, UNCA scored on back-to-back plays and
would never relinquish the lead despite GWU trimming the margin to
one point on four occasions. Down just 20-19 after a kill by
Wilcox, the home Bulldogs went on a 4-0 run as two of the points
were via miscues by GWU. The Red and Black would get no closer in
the 25-21 loss.
The Bulldogs return to action Friday against Coastal Carolina. The match is slated for 7 p.m. However, seniors Bethany Martin, Katie Matykowski and Heidi Steinebrunner will be honored prior to the match at approximately 6:45 p.m.
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