Cockrell Reaches Career Mark, as Slow Starts Doom GWU in the 3-0 Loss at Western Carolina
September 18, 2012 | Volleyball
Cullowhee, N.C. - Junior middle blocker Tyler Cockrell tallied three block assists on Tuesday night to surpass the 300 career blocks plateau, as the Runnin' Bulldogs were doomed by slow starts in a 3-0 loss at Western Carolina in the Ramsey Center in Cullowhee, N.C.
GWU fell behind by at least four points in the start of every set to fall to the Catamounts 18-25, 16-25 and 19-25 on Tuesday night in non-conference action.
With the loss, Gardner-Webb falls to 4-12 overall and 0-4 against the Southern Conference this season. Western Carolina improves to 3-1 at home and 4-11 overall on the season with the win.
Cockrell's three block assists gives her 301 total career blocks in just over two years of play at GWU.
Junior Emily Holte led the way with eight kills and two service aces, while setter Heather Feldman dished out 22 set assists to go along with seven digs, four kills and a service ace. Freshman libero Anna Pashkova tallied a team-high 14 digs over the three set match.
Western Carolina had a balanced attack, as four different players tallied eight kills or more led by Addy George's nine kills and .667 attack percentage. Setter Tina Nazario dished out 39 assists, while Morgan Cochran and Caitlin Piechota posted 21 and 11 digs, respectively.
"We played flat and didn't seem to have any inspiration tonight," Coach Sayles commented. "Offensively, we were unable to finish. I'm disappointed in our effort, our lack of execution, and our inability to adapt to the game situation we faced tonight. Hopefully we can find the spark we need in front of our home crowd Friday night."
The Runnin' Bulldogs were hit right out of the gates by the Catamounts to start the first set, as Western Carolina recorded four kills and took a point by a GWU attack error to jump out in front of the visitors 5-0 to start the match.
After an early Gardner-Webb timeout called by head coach Leo Sayles, GWU picked up two kills from Holte to help cut the Western Carolina lead to four at 8-4.
However, the Catamounts had an answer for every GWU points, as Western Carolina put together four straight points to push its lead to nine at 16-7 midway through the set.
Two kills from Holte, with an Amanda Murphy solo block sandwiched between, the Runnin' Bulldogs attempted to get back into the set, putting the score at 18-11 in favor of the Catamounts.
Western Carolina would pull out to as much as ten at 23-13 when the GWU defense woke up, as Feldman and Cockrell posted back-to-back blocks to help the visitors remain in the set at 23-17.
Yet it would prove to be too little too late, as a kill from outside hitter Molly Rhyne would be all that the Runnin' Bulldogs would score down the stretch, as the home team held on for the 25-18 first set victory.
GWU once again would get off to a slow start in the second set, as the Runnin' Bulldogs fell behind 5-1 on three straight errors.
Back-to-back kills from freshman outside hitter Callie Hildebrand and Feldman capped off a 5-2 run for the Runnin' Bulldogs who cut the Western Carolina lead to one at 7-6.
Another Gardner-Webb attack error would end the Runnin' Bulldogs run and give the Catamounts side-out, which the home team took advantage of with three straight points to take an 11-6 second set lead.
The two teams then traded points for the next several rallies, until Western Carolina put together back-to-back points to take an 18-10 lead over the Runnin' Bulldogs. However, GWU refused to roll over and play dead, but rather fought back with three straight points of its own to get to within five of the Catamounts at 18-13.
Four straight points by the Catamounts, on three kills and a service ace, put the Catamounts in front by nine at 22-13 en route to the 25-16 second set win.
Down 2-0 in the match, the Runnin' Bulldogs were looking for its first set win, yet again came out of the gates slow, falling behind 6-2 to the home team.
GWU would get a kill from Hildebrand and fellow freshman Tyra Montour over the next several rallies, but would be unable to slow down the Western Carolina offensive attack, falling behind by six at 10-4.
Out of a GWU timeout, the Runnin' Bulldogs looked to pick up its play for the rest of the set, battling back to cut the Western Carolina lead to four at 14-10 on a Cockrell service ace.
The Runnin' Bulldogs would get to as close as five points on several occasions over the remainder of the set, however the Catamounts refused to relinquish the lead and held off GWU for a 25-19 set win and a 3-0 match victory.
The Catamounts posted a team attack percentage of .500 in the third set win.
Gardner-Webb will kick-off a four-match home stand on Friday night, September 21st, as the Runnin' Bulldogs will open up Big South Conference play against UNC Asheville at 7 p.m. in Paul Porter Arena.
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| Box Score: Western Carolina 3, GWU 0 |
