POSTGAME INTERVIEWS
LINK: Head Coach Eric Plunkett
LINK: Sophomore OH Makena Phillips
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Entering the afternoon fresh off a win over Hampton University a night ago, the Gardner-Webb University volleyball hosted Campbell University on Saturday inside Paul Porter Arena, falling to the second-place team in the Big South Conference in straight sets, 3-0.
One day removed from notching a season-high .243 hitting percentage, Gardner-Webb (7-11; 4-4 Big South) was held to just .062 hitting and 25 kills on 130 attacks. Campbell (12-8; 7-1 Big South) countered with 40 kills and a strong .250 hitting percentage, while also out-blocking the 'Dogs by a margin of 11-5.
Makena Phillips paced GWU with 11 kills behind a career-high .350 hitting percentage. The Candler, N.C. also added a team-high three blocks (one solo) to finish the day with a total of 13 points, also a new career record.
Kylee Garrison contributed eight kills and 10 digs for the Runnin' Bulldogs,
Hannah Donaldson added six kills and two blocks, and
Audrey Gun and
Delaney McCullough chipped in with four kills apiece.
Mikah McIntosh recorded 21 digs, while
Tori Weatherley came up one assist short of a season-high with a team-leading 27.
Gardner-Webb, now 4-4 at the halfway point of its conference schedule, moves to sixth overall in the conference standings with eight matches remaining on the regular season slate.
"We have seen now what it takes to be No. 2 in the conference, or No. 1 in the conference," said Gardner-Webb head coach
Eric Plunkett. "They are a team that battles with every team in our conference from top to bottom, so for us, we're understanding what that bar is. We're understanding what that execution level is for us to be at that level, and I think it was a great eye-opening experience for us. Hopefully our players can look at it and say, 'Hey, this is what it takes to be at the top of the conference, this is what we have to do in the practice gym to go and do that.' So, hopefully our response to this match results in a positive."
Campbell, now winners of three in a row and 10 of its last 11, took control early by jumping to a quick 8-1 advantage in the opening frame. Still trailing by seven late, 21-14, the Runnin' Bulldogs mounted a furious comeback thanks to a 7-0 surge and kills from four different players with McIntosh on serve. However, after kills from Garrison and Phillips evened the score at 24-24, the Camels strung together a pair of points with a kill followed by a service ace to take the first set in dramatic fashion, 26-24.
Gardner-Webb continued to hang strong in set number two, as consecutive kills from Phillips and Garrison put the 'Dogs within two, 16-14, but Campbell answered once again and won the next three points before moving on to a 25-20 final score to take a 2-0 lead. The Camels then solidified a win in the straight sets by taking down GWU in set three, 25-14.
With eight games remaining on the regular season schedule – six of which will be played on the road – Gardner-Webb will look to rebound next weekend with in-state trips to North Carolina A&T and High Point. Action will get underway against the Aggies on Friday, October 22 at 6 p.m. before the 'Dogs return to play on Saturday, October 23 against the top-ranked Panthers at 2 p.m.
