BOILING SPRINGS --- Brianna Starr (Blue Springs, Mo.) tallied 13 kills to lead a trio of Runnin' Bulldogs in double figures as Gardner-Webb swept Charleston Southern in straight sets in Big South Conference action on Saturday afternoon in Paul Porter Arena.
Gardner-Webb (11-15, 4-4 Big South) won the match by scores of 25-21, 25-21 and 25-20, attacking at a .292 clip in the match while holding Charleston Southern (10-17, 1-8 Big South) to a hitting percentage of .175. The Runnin' Bulldogs recorded 55 digs, 43 kills and five service aces in the contest as each team posted four blocks.
"Today was a quality team win," praised Leo Sayles. "[Heather] Feldman did a great job distributing, and [Sydney] Marshall has really stepped up at the middle blocker/right side position. We were solid in our passing today which kick-started our offense. Hopefully we can carry some momentum from this match into next week."
Starr led the way for Gardner-Webb with 13 kills and a .385 hitting percentage, as Tyler Cockrell (Tulsa, Okla.) and Tyra Montour (Kennesaw, Ga.) each tallied 11 smashes. Heather Feldman (Eden, N.Y.) and Anna Pashkova (Iowa City, Iowa) recorded match-highs of 33 assists and 19 digs, respectively, while Cockrell posted a double-double with 10 digs. Montour paced all blockers with three stuffs.
Siraya Windsor paced the Buccaneers with a match-high 14 kills, attacking at a .379 clip while equaling Ashley Higginbothem's team-best 13 digs. Meredith Parrott and Katrina Houston added 12 and 10 kills, respectively, as Cassidy Greer recorded match-highs of 33 assists and three service aces.
Charleston Southern opened the first set with eight of the first 12 points, taking an early 8-4 lead with a tandem block by Houston and Kylie Klein before Gardner-Webb responded with a 10-4 run, snatching a 14-12 advantage on a Cockrell smash. After the Bucs closed the gap to 17-16 with a Windsor ace the Runnin' Bulldogs countered with a 5-1 spurt to push the margin to 22-17 following a Montour smash.
The Bucs would cut into the lead once again with three straight points, pulling to within two at 22-20 before Gardner-Webb regained control, closing out the set and taking a 1-0 advantage in the match following back-to-back smashes from Feldman and Montour.
Gardner-Webb carried the momentum into the second, opening the frame with a 9-4 run that was capped by a Feldman dump. Charleston Southern answered with a 9-6 spurt of its own to cut the advantage to 15-13 with back-to-back kills from Windsor. The Bucs would trim the margin further to 18-17 before Gardner-Webb responded, finishing the set with a 7-4 run to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the match following an ace from Sydney Marshall (Norcross, Ga.).
Charleston Southern fought back in the third, kicking off the set with an 8-3 spurt before Gardner-Webb responded, stringing together a 9-3 run to take a 12-11 lead on an emphatic block by Montour and Kaelyn Dyson (Holly Springs, N.C.).
After the Bucs countered with a 6-4 spurt to reclaim the advantage at 17-16, Gardner-Webb answered with a 6-1 surge to push ahead for a 22-18 lead on a monster kill by Starr. The Bucs would stay within reach with two of the next three points, closing the gap to 23-20 before Gardner-Webb regained control, closing out the set and the match on a stuff block by Marshall and Montour.
Gardner-Webb is back in action on Friday, October 31, traveling to Buies Creek, N.C. to take on Campbell in Big South play at 7:00 pm.
