Postgame Interview with Head Coach Eric Plunkett
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. –
Mikah McIntosh set a new NCAA season-high for digs in an individual match in 2021, and four Runnin' Bulldogs shattered personal statistical records, but a furious rally in the late stages of the Saturday afternoon's five-set thriller came up just short as the Gardner-Webb University volleyball team (7-15; 4-8 Big South) dropped its Senior Day match to UNC Asheville (5-16; 3-9 Big South) inside Paul Porter Arena, 3-2.
McIntosh's 46 digs are the most of any player in the NCAA this season and the most of any player in a single match in Gardner-Webb program history. The Miami, Florida native entered the weekend averaging 5.12 digs per set, 19
th best in the nation.
Also posting personal record-breaking performances was
Kylee Garrison with 19 kills and 19 digs – new career-highs in both categories – as well as
Delaney McCullough with 18 kills and
Tori Weatherley with 63 assists.
Audrey Gun finished with 14 kills, one shy of tying a career-high, while freshman
Kayla Hawkins recorded the most kills of her young career with eight.
After UNC Asheville took the opening set by a score of 25-19, Gardner-Webb returned to the court with a heightened urgency for sets two and three. Feeding off the energy from the home crowd on Senior Day, the 'Dogs stormed out to a 6-1 advantage in the second frame behind a trio of kills from Hawkins. Stretching its advantage to as many as nine at 13-4, Hawkins put the Bulldogs away with one final kill to take set two before maintaining control and going up 2-1 with a 25-22 victory in set three.
While the 'Dogs could have put Asheville away in four, the Bulldogs pulled away late to force a decisive fifth set, one that included a heavy dose of late drama as Gardner-Webb rallied from seven down, all while facing match point, to force a 14-14 tie. Though Garrison willed GWU back into contention with a 7-0 run on serve, Asheville finally managed to counter, winning what ultimately were the final two points of the afternoon to take the final set, 16-14, to notch its third victory in Big South play this season.
As a team, Gardner-Webb posted season-highs in kills (72), assists (67) and digs (117).
The Runnin' Bulldogs concluded the afternoon with a ceremony following the match to celebrate its five seniors – Garrison, Gun,
Hannah Donaldson,
Caitie Mayo and
Lauryn Rocassin – all of whom have played a critical role in the turnaround of the program.
With four matches remaining on its regular season slate, Gardner-Webb will take to the road to round out its schedule beginning next Friday, November 5 at Presbyterian. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m.
