WILLIAMSBURG, Va. --- Gardner-Webb split a pair of matches to conclude the weekend at William & Mary's Tribe Invitational Saturday, rallying for a 3-1 win over Norfolk State before falling to La Salle in straight sets to finish the day.
Gardner-Webb (2-1) defeated Norfolk State (0-2) by scores of 17-25, 25-22, 25-15 and 25-20 in its first match of the day, securing the program's first 2-0 start since the 2003 campaign. La Salle (2-1) defeated the Runnin' Bulldogs in straight sets later in the afternoon, winning the match by scores of 25-23, 25-18 and 25-22.
Jene Lee (San Dimas, Calif.) and Tyra Montour (Kennesaw, Ga.) led the way for Gardner-Webb with 12 kills each on the afternoon, as Kaelyn Dyson (Holly Springs, N.C.) and Nicole Celarek (Bensenville, Ill.) added 11 and 10 kills, respectively. Tinsley Fain (Boiling Springs, S.C.) tallied six service aces, including four in the win over Norfolk State, while Sydney Marshall (Norcross, Ga.) chipped in five.
Marshall and Lee each recorded six blocks on the day, while Anna Pashkova (Iowa City, Iowa) accounted for 39 digs. Emma Milstead (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Justine Bowers (Dana Point, Calif.) posted 15 and 14 digs, respectively, as Bowers dished out 29 assists.
Gardner-Webb 3, Norfolk State 1 (Box Score)
Gardner-Webb picked up its second win of the weekend in its first match of the day, rallying for a gritty 3-1 win over Norfolk State as the Runnin' Bulldogs recorded 67 digs and 35 kills in the contest, while tallying 14 service aces and 11 blocks. Norfolk State was credited with 70 digs and 43 kills in the contest.
"Tough defensive effort vs. NSU," said head coach Leo Sayles. "Our offense sputtered, but quality serving and defense helped us escape with a win. I give Norfolk State credit, they took it to us in the first two sets before we were able to settle down and dictate the tempo. Our depth paid off today. Amanda Sahm and [Tinsley] Fain both showed their competitive spirit running the offense, while [Nicole] Celarek dominated on the right side. I'm pleased with the poise the girls displayed, and happy with the win."
Celarek paced the Runnin' Bulldogs with seven kills and two blocks, attacking at a .429 clip, as Lee accounted for six kills, four blocks and a .455 hitting percentage. Montour added six kills of her own, while Marshall tallied match-highs of six blocks and five aces. Pashkova was credited with a contest-best 20 digs as Fain posted 12 assists and four aces.
Angie Darcus led the way for Norfolk State with 13 kills and 15 digs, while Janay Frazier added a double-double of her own with 11 smashes and 13 digs. Darcy Moore chipped in a double-double as well, accounting for 35 assists and 17 digs, while Clarke Tyler posted eight kills.
The Runnin' Bulldogs got off to a slow start in the first set and Norfolk State took advantage, opening an early 6-1 lead before pushing the margin to 19-8 with a 13-5 run. Gardner-Webb would mount a late comeback attempt, closing the gap to 24-17 with a 9-5 spurt before Norfolk State capped the set with a Moore smash.
The Norfolk State carried the momentum into the second set, jumping out to an 8-5 lead before Gardner-Webb responded with a 12-9 run, evening the tally at 17-17 following a kill by Montour. After the Spartans answered with three straight points, Gardner-Webb countered with a 7-2 spurt, rallying to claim the set and pull even in the match on an ace from Marshall.
The third set proved to be perhaps the most tightly contested of the match, at least in the early moments, with Gardner-Webb breaking a 10-10 deadlock with a 10-1 surge to take a 20-11 lead following back-to-back aces from Fain. The Runnin' Bulldogs quickly capped the set shortly thereafter, closing the frame with a 5-1 run to claim a 2-1 advantage in the match.
Gardner-Webb carried the momentum into the fourth, taking an early 8-4 lead before Norfolk State answered with a 7-3 spurt to even the tally at 11-11. The Runnin' Bulldogs wasted little time in responding, opening a 17-13 advantage following a Montour smash.
Norfolk State stayed within striking distance for the next few minutes, closing the gap to two on several occasions before Gardner-Webb capped the set and the match with a Milstead service ace.
La Salle 3, Gardner-Webb 0 (Box Score)
La Salle held Gardner-Webb to just two blocks and 35 kills in a hard-fought three-set to finish off the weekend for both teams, as the Explorers recorded 63 digs, 39 kills and a .211 hitting percentage.
"We played uninspired for the first two sets and gave La Salle the opportunity to win," said Sayles. "We were in control the first set and let it slip away. La Salle wanted this match more than we did, and I give them credit for sticking to their plan. This was a competitive weekend, and I will take our 2-1 record, but hopefully we will grow from this loss and be a little more determined next week."
Montour, Dyson, Lee and Taylor Lillard (Victorville, Calif.) each accounted for six kills for Gardner-Webb in the contest, while Pashkova was credited with 19 digs in just three sets. Bowers dished out 21 assists and added 11 digs for a double-double.
Ashley Felton led all hitters with nine kills for La Salle, as Taylor Hite accounted for a double-double with 10 digs and a match-high 28 assists. Jensen Sharritts chipped in a match-high 24 digs as well, while Rachel Carr and Laura Kulhlmeler tallied eight and seven kills, respectively.
Gardner-Webb started off strong in the first, jumping out to an 11-6 lead before the Explorers answered with a 6-3 spurt to close the gap to 14-12. The Runnin' Bulldogs would respond with six of the next 11 points, stretching the margin to 20-17 following a Montour smash before La Salle countered with a 5-1 spurt of its own to snatch a 22-21 advantage.
Back-to-back points from the Runnin' Bulldogs quickly reversed the one-point lead in Gardner-Webb's favor, forcing a La Salle timeout with GWU in front, 23-22 courtesy of a Dyson smash. The break proved to be timely for La Salle, as the Explorers came out of the timeout with three straight points to claim the set, 25-23, on a tandem block by Felton and Hite.
The Explorers carried the momentum into the second, taking a 9-5 advantage on a Carr kill before stretching the margin to 19-10 with a 7-2 spurt. Gardner-Webb would fight back, closing the gap to 23-17 on a Dyson kill before a Runnin' Bulldog service error handed La Salle a commanding 2-0 lead in the match.
La Salle continued to dictate the flow of play early in the third, jumping out to a 10-4 lead before Gardner-Webb responded with a 6-0 spurt to even the tally at 10-10. The Runnin' Bulldogs kept pushing over the next several minutes, opening a narrow 18-16 advantage following a Lee smash to cap a 3-1 spurt.
The Explorers quickly answered once again, evening the tally at 20-20 on the heels of a 4-2 run that was capped by a solo stuff by Carr. La Salle would finish the frame with five of the next seven points, breaking a 22-22 tie with three straight tallies to close out the set and the match.
Gardner-Webb is back in action on Tuesday, September 1 when the Runnin' Bulldogs travel to Boone, North Carolina to take on Appalachian State University at 7:00 pm.
