RADFORD, Va. – Gardner-Webb put a cap on its promising 2021 campaign on Saturday afternoon, rounding out its regular-season slate with a loss to Radford in three sets from Donald N. Dedmon Center in Virginia.
 
After picking up six wins by the beginning of October, the Runnin' Bulldogs close out the year with a 7-19 overall record, including a 4-12 mark in Big South Conference play, while battling through increased adversity due to a slew of insurmountable injuries down the stretch.
 
Senior outside hitter Kylee Garrison paced Gardner-Webb with 11 kills, her 14^th match in double digits this season.
 
Junior middle blocker Delaney McCullough added nine kills with a team-high .238 hitting percentage, while sophomore Tori Weatherley dished out 28 assists.
 
With another 17 digs on Saturday, sophomore Mikah McIntosh finished her second season in the Red and Black with 480 total digs in 90 sets, good for 5.33 digs per set and a new program record. She edges out the previous longstanding school record of 5.32 digs per frame set by Anna Pashkova in 2013.
 
Gardner-Webb, who toppled Radford to snap a 14-match losing streak to its conference foe in the first match between the two teams in October, dropped sets by scores of 25-21, 25-19 and 25-19 to the Highlanders during Saturday's season finale.
 
"Though the season didn't have the ending we all wanted, valuable lessons were learned and the foundation of Gardner-Webb volleyball's culture was established," said head coach Eric Plunkett. "We learned how to compete as a family this year, and I am proud of this group of student-athletes for taking adversity head-on time and time again."
 
GWU, who hit .075 for the match to Radford's .216, jumped out to a two-point lead in the opening frame behind consecutive kills from Garrison and a service ace from McIntosh to cap off a 4-0 run. The 'Dogs would then extend their lead to three, 15-12, but the Highlanders answered with a 9-2 run en route to a four-point win in set one.
 
Similar to in the first game, Gardner-Webb pulled out to an early lead in set two, 13-8, using a 7-1 surge and service aces from both Makena Phillips and Sophia Bolden. Leading by five this time around, 13-8, Radford once again battled back, this time with a strong 10-1 run. The Highlanders wound up taking the second frame by a 25-19 final score, which they then replicated in set three to conclude the match.
 
"We had a lot of growth this season, which only makes me more excited about the program's direction moving forward," Plunkett concluded as he completes his first season at the helm of the program.
 
"I also want to thank my amazing staff for their time, effort and dedication they put in to see these athletes be successful. I feel blessed to work with people I can call family."