BUIES CREEK, N.C. --- Brianna Starr (Blue Springs, Mo.) paced Gardner-Webb with a double-double and Heather Feldman (Eden, N.Y.) turned in an outstanding performance with 42 assists, nine digs and five kills, as six players recorded at least five smashes to lift the Runnin' Bulldogs to a hard-fought come-from-behind fifth-set victory over Campbell in Big South Conference play on Friday evening.

Gardner-Webb (12-15, 5-4 Big South) won the match by scores of 15-25, 25-21, 14-25, 25-21 and 15-10, as both Campbell (12-14, 3-6 Big South) and the Runnin' Bulldogs both posted identical hitting percentages of .123. The Runnin' Bulldogs tallied 10 blocks in the contest to go along with 82 digs and 53 kills.

"This match was all about heart," said head coach Leo Sayles. "I am so proud to see the fighting spirit from this team. Campbell did a great job. They knew what play sets we were running, and we had to stay creative to score. We responded very well in the fifth and played with great poise. A solid win for the Runnin' Bulldogs."

Starr led the way for Gardner-Webb with 14 kills and 19 digs, as Tyler Cockrell (Tulsa, Okla.) added 12 smashes and a match-high seven blocks. Feldman posted one of her best performances of the season with a match-high 42 assists while also tallying nine digs and five kills.

Anna Pashkova (Iowa City, Iowa) and Kacy O'Connor (Southport, N.C.) recorded 25 and 12 digs, respectively, while Tyra Montour (Kennesaw, Ga.) chipped in 10 kills as Sydney Marshall (Norcross, Ga.) notched five blocks.

Katelyn Layden paced the Camels with a match-high 15 kills, while McKenzie Fell and Ali Harty each added 12 smashes. Summer Schultema posted a double-double with 28 assists and 14 digs, as Mary Crema and Alexis Hein tallied 31 and 22 digs, respectively. Hein also recorded a match-high five aces.

The first set proved to be a tightly contested affair early on until Campbell seized control, claiming an 18-10 lead with an 8-0 run that was capped by a smash from Layden. The Camels would hold on to win the set from there, closing out the frame with a 6-3 spurt to take a 1-0 advantage in the match on a kill by Jenny Tait.

The Runnin' Bulldogs fought back in the second, opening the set with an 8-4 run that concluded with a well-timed dumped from Feldman. Campbell quickly countered with a 6-4 spurt, closing the gap to 12-10 on a kill by Fell before Gardner-Webb responded, stretching the margin to 22-15 following a Montour smash.

Gardner-Webb would hold off a late run by Campbell in the frame, keeping the Camels at arm's length for the remainder of the set before evening the match at 1-1 with a 25-21 win via a Cockrell smash.

Campbell replied once again in the third, surging to an early 11-2 lead before widening the gap to 17-7 with an ace from Tait. Gardner-Webb answered with a 7-2 spurt, cutting the margin to 19-14 on a Montour smash to put the pressure on the Camels. Campbell would prove equal to the task, responding with six straight points to reclaim the lead in the match with a 25-14 decision.

Gardner-Webb answered in the early moments of the fourth, jumping out to a 12-6 lead following a tandem block by Marshall and Feldman. Campbell would counter with a 9-4 spurt of its own, closing the gap to 16-15 on an ace from Hein before vaulting ahead to take a 19-17 advantage in the set. Gardner-Webb quickly responded with eight of the next 10 points, rallying to even the match at 2-2 and force a deciding fifth set with a block from Cockrell and Marshall.

The Runnin' Bulldogs carried the momentum into the fifth, scoring nine of the frame's first 15 points before pushing the advantage to 13-8 following a well-placed strike by Marshall. Coach's Sayles' squad took care of business from there, claiming its fifth conference victory of the season with an emphatic smash from Cockrell to close out the set and the match.

Gardner-Webb wraps up the weekend at High Point on Saturday afternoon, squaring off with the Panthers in a pivotal matchup at 2:00 pm in High Point, N.C.