GREENVILLE, N.C. – Nicole Celarek posted her second double-double of the day with 14 kills and 11 digs, while adding four blocks to help lead the Runnin' Bulldogs to a 3-2 win over East Carolina on Friday evening.
 
Gardner-Webb (4-5) rallied from a 2-1 deficit, taking the match by scores of 16-25, 25-22, 23-25, 26-24, and 15-9.  East Carolina (5-3) was held to a .106 hitting percentage, while the Runnin' Bulldogs attacked at a .169 percentage on the night.
 
"I am extremely proud of our team today," stated GWU head coach Leo Sayles after the win.  "We saw outstanding effort from every position.  East Carolina is an athletic team, but we were able to answer every challenge.  I felt we gained confidence throughout the day and were able to finish."

Tonight marked the first time in program history that Gardner-Webb defeated a team from the American Athletic Conference.
 
Celarek and Maria Emmick led Gardner-Webb with 14 kills, while Keira Moore led the team with eight blocks.  Abbey Sprinkle collected 25 assists, and Emma Milstead tallied 22 digs to lead the squad.
 
Bri Wood had 14 kills to lead the Pirates, while Toya Osuegbu had eight blocks.  Shelby Martin had 38 assists and Brandee Markwith had 40 digs to lead the team.
 
East Carolina jumped out to a 7-1 lead to open the first set, leading to a Gardner-Webb timeout.  The Runnin' Bulldogs would respond by pulling within three points at 9-6 after a kill by Celarek, but GWU would not pull any closer as the Pirates would take the opening set by a score of 25-16.
 
Gardner-Webb would control much of the second set, going on a 9-1 run early in the set to take a 12-8 after a kill by Joy Rhodes.  ECU would fight back and take a three-point lead at 20-17, but the 'Dogs would score six straight points to reclaim the lead at 23-20 and would take the set by a score of 25-22, capped by a Kaelyn Dyson service ace.
 
GWU opened the third set with an 8-3 spurt after a kill by Dyson, and would lead as high as six points at 16-10 after a block by Dyson and Celarek.  East Carolina would rally, going on a 7-1 run to take a 22-20 lead, but GWU would respond to tie the set at 23-23 on a block by Molly Johnston and  Moore.  ECU would then score the next two points to take a 25-23 set win and a 2-1 advantage.
 
The fourth set would be competitive throughout, as neither team would have a lead higher than three points at any time with seven lead changes.  ECU would hold a lead at 20-18, but GWU would score four straight points to take a 22-20 lead after a kill by Celarek.  Gardner-Webb would not trail for the remainder of the set, taking a 26-24 decision to force a decisive fifth-set.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs would jump out to an 8-3 lead to start the final set after a block by Dyson and Rhodes, and would not look back, taking the set by a 15-9 score, with a block by Rhodes and Moore sealing the set and the overall match win.
 
Gardner-Webb returns to action tomorrow morning at 10:00 am, facing Hampton to wrap up the ECU Classic.