BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - The Gardner-Webb University volleyball team fell 3-0 to visiting Presbyterian on Friday night at Paul Porter Arena, dropping a home Big South contest.

The Runnin' Bulldogs jumped out of the gate quick on Friday evening, leading early in a door to door first set. Several early ties eventually gave way to a 17-16 Gardner-Webb lead late in the frame, with neither side going ahead as many as three points through the first media timeout. Senior libero Kayla Hawkins played a major role early on, forcing an attack error on the Blue Hose, collecting a service ace, and piling up the first of what became seven digs in the contest.

After going behind 24-22, GWU fired back to force the set into a tiebreak. Freshman outside hitter Caroline Franklin recorded the first of her second team-high seven kills to grab the crucial 24th point for the Runnin' Bulldogs and graduate middle Alivia Rew swung the Red and Black to a 25-25 tie not long after, but the last two points of the set went the way of the Blue Hose, 27-25. With that, GWU trailed 1-0.

The second set would go much the same as the first, with a nail-biting affair ultimately going the way of Presbyterian, 25-22. The Blue Hose took a 14-9 road lead, just ahead of possibly the best sequence of the night from GWU. The Runnin' Bulldogs rallied for five straight points, including a kill from freshman outside Isabel Sandstrum to bring the set back to a 14-14 tie.

To finish the second, the Runnin' Bulldogs would have to defend both a 19-16 lead and a 22-20 lead. Back to back attack errors on the Blue Hose put Gardner-Webb in prime position but PC scored the last five points themselves to steal the win away and go in front 2-0.

The Blue Hose rode that momentum from set two into the third, highlighted by a 6-0 run that put the 'Dawgs in a hole they'd be unable to climb out of. GWU did produce an exciting spell in the middle of the set however, trailing 13-6 before taking four of the next five points, punctuated by two kills from junior outside hitter Isabella Raciunas. From there, the visitors put the set away 25-13 and defeated the Runnin' Bulldogs 3-0.

Leaders for Gardner-Webb include Sandstrum with nine kills, Rew with three blocks, and junior setter Morgan Hornaday with 12 digs and 11 assists.

GWU now turns attention to Saturday, where the Runnin' Bulldogs will host Charleston Southern at 2:00 p.m. in more Big South Conference action.