JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – The Gardner-Webb volleyball team notched its first two wins of the season, and head coach
Eric Plunkett picked up the first victories of his career, as the Runnin' Bulldogs swept a doubleheader on Saturday at the Gamecock Classic to round out the team's first weekend of action from Pete Mathews Coliseum.
The 'Dogs pulled out a thrilling five-set victory over Middle Tennessee State University (1-1) to begin the day, fighting back from a three-point deficit late in the decisive fifth set to capture the first win of the 2021 slate. GWU's strong play then carried over to afternoon action as the Red and Black powered past Alabama State University, 3-1.
With the Saturday sweep, Gardner-Webb capped off its opening weekend at the Gamecock Classic at 2-1, including its first win over a Conference USA opponent since 2018.
Leading the way for Gardner-Webb (2-1) against MTSU was
Kylee Garrison (16),
Hannah Donaldson (12) and
Makena Phillips (11), all of whom finished with double-digit kills.
Tori Weatherley dished out a team-high 24 assists, while
Mikah McIntosh tallied 34 digs, tied for the seventh-most digs in a single match in program history and the most since 2016.
Donaldson and Phillips continued to shine against Alabama State, pacing the squad with 11 and 10 kills, respectively.
Audrey Gun also added 10 kills, aided by 22 assists from Weatherley and another 18 from
Lauryn Rocassin, while McIntosh proved effective once again with a match-high 20 digs.
"I'm so proud of this team's fighting spirit. We played Gardner-Webb volleyball!" said Plunkett. "Two matches in the same day, back-to-back, is never easy – no matter who you play. It feels amazing to come away 2-1 in this tough tournament."
Aiming to bounce back after dropping Friday's season opener, the Runnin' Bulldogs gained first control by taking the first set over Middle Tennessee, 25-20. A back-and-forth affair transpired from there, with the two sides alternating sets throughout – including a dramatic second set that featured 14 ties and seven lead changes – ultimately leading to a deciding set five.
Going down by as many as three before trailing 12-10 in the final sprint to 15, the 'Dogs formulated one last charge. After storming back to even the set at 14-14, Garrison came through late as the senior outside hitter posted a kill to force match point, followed by an ace on serve to cap off the win, 16-14.
"Middle Tennessee is a strong team and put a lot of pressure on us, but we stuck to our game plan," Plunkett explained. "Before the match, we talked about competing and fighting for every point. We wanted to be aggressive and play consistent."
Returning to the court less than three hours later, Gardner-Webb countered an energetic Alabama State squad looking for its first win by taking the first set in dominant fashion, 25-12. While the Hornets answered back with a 25-22 victory in set two, the Runnin' Bulldogs returned to form in sets three and four, winning 25-20 and 25-19, respectively, to claim their second win of the day.
"Alabama State brought a ton of energy, but we were able to stay consistent and execute late in sets. We knew the service and pass game was going to be crucial, but we stayed dialed in throughout the match."
With the opening tournament of the 2021 campaign now complete, Gardner-Webb will take the upcoming week to prepare for its next match, a Power-5 test at Clemson University on Sunday, September 5. First serve – GWU's first against an ACC opponent since Georgia Tech in 2014 – is set for 4 p.m.
