BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – All four seniors had double-digit kills for the Runnin' Bulldogs on Senior Day, yet the Gardner-Webb volleyball team fell to the visiting Liberty Flames in five sets on Saturday afternoon.
Gardner-Webb (7-22, 1-15 Big South) took the opening set, 26-24, yet Liberty (11-18, 8-8 Big South) took the next two sets by scores of 25-13 and 26-24. The Runnin' Bulldogs would tie the match, taking the fourth set, 25-23. The Flames would take the final set by a score of 15-11 to take the overall match win.
The Runnin' Bulldogs had 60 total kills on the afternoon with a hitting percentage of .123, while Liberty totaled 58 kills, attacking at a .169 clip.
Tyra Long had a career-high 18 kills in her final match as a Runnin' Bulldogs, as did fellow senior
Hannah Driscoll, who totaled a career-best 14 kills. The remaining seniors also had double-digit smashes as
Kaelyn Dyson and
Nicole Celarek had 13 and 11 kills respectively.
Emma Milstead led the 'Dogs with 27 digs, while Dyson also had a team-high five blocks.
Amanda Sahm led the team with 52 assists.
Liberty had two attackers reach double-digits, led by Gabrielle Vess with 17 kills, followed by Casey Goodwin with 16 smashes. Vess and Anna Gragg led the Flames with six blocks each, while Margaret Latchford had 28 digs and Hannah Morris had 32 assists to lead the team.
Prior to today's match the senior class of Celerek, Driscoll, Dyson, and Long were recognized for their achievements on the court throughout their time at Gardner-Webb.
