BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – After heading to North Carolina Central University's domain last night for a five-set battle, Gardner-Webb put together a straight-set sweep over the Eagles on Saturday, Sep. 2 in non-conference action. 
 
Gardner-Webb (2-3) played consistently today at the net with a season-high .345 hitting percentage to ensure the sweep over the Eagles.
 
"This was a roller coaster of a weekend for us," said Head Coach Eric Plunkett. "NC Central played really well at their place and put a lot of pressure on our serve, receiving, and defense. We built leads in a lot of those sets and weren't able to execute consistently to close them out. Today was a different story. We took control of each set at the beginning and never lost our focus and urgency."
 
Freshmen outside hitter Jenna Otts continued her incredible play recording a game-high 14 kills on 27 attacks with a .333 hitting percentage. Behind Otts, was sophomore outside hitter Serena Kohler with 10 kills on 18 attacks with a .444 hitting percentage. 
 
Freshmen outside hitter Madison Smith led the game in digs with nine while also serving up three aces.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs opened the first set with a strong 7-1 lead before the Eagles brought the score within two at 7-5. NC Central (1-3) would not come close in the first set again as GWU cruised by with a 25-14 victory in set one. The 'Dawgs kept the energy going in set two with huge leads including a 21-11 lead which eventually would give Gardner-Webb a 25-12 win in game two. The Eagles managed to keep things close in the third set, bringing seven-point leads down to four but could not stop the offense of the Runnin' Bulldogs in a 25-19 tight set. 
 
"Really proud of this team's response after a tough five-set loss on the road to be as sharp and fresh as we played", said Plunkett. "The fans today saw a really nice glimpse of our offense. We need to continue to build consistency on both sides of the ball moving forward. We have a tough road trip next weekend and need to be sure we bring this energy and consistency to every match."
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs hit the road for their second tournament of the season in Princess Anne, Maryland, where they will face Quinnipiac University to begin the Henson Hawk Invitational on Friday, Sep. 8 at 10 a.m.