DURHAM, N.C. - The Gardner-Webb volleyball team continued its long, early season road swing on Tuesday night, suffering a 3-0 defeat at NC Central

Gardner-Webb and NC Central would battle across three sets on Tuesday night in Durham, but it would the home-standing Eagles coming out on top in each of the three sets by narrow margins. NC Central took the first set 25-23 and the second just 27-25. The home side would then put the contest away with a 25-17 win over GWU in the third.

Gardner-Webb saw some of its best action in the first set late, nearly rallying from what was a 23-19 deficit. The Runnin' Bulldogs scored four of five points down the stretch to pull within one of NC Central, down 24-23. Redshirt junior outside hitter Serena Kohler was excellent as the set wound down, with two sets and a service ace to grab GWU's final three points of the set in order.

In the second, Gardner-Webb would rally from down a couple points early to eventually grab its biggest lead of the entire match. Freshman setter Ivey Lucas completed a 7-1 run for the Runnin' Bulldogs to land GWU a 15-8 lead. NC Central rallied back however with a 9-1 run of its own to go back in front 17-16. Junior Milla Lugo notched one of her three kills to stem the tide at 17-17 but with eight of the final 11 points, NC Central went ahead 2-0 in the match.

The Eagles would pull away for good mid-way through the third set, eventually finishing the match 3-0, The highlight for Gardner-Webb in the third included a late spurt where freshman middle Tatiana Besu recorded one of the first kills of her college career and graduate libero Nalani McBride posted one of her first service aces in a Gardner-Webb jersey

LEADERS
Sophomore outside hitter Isabel Sandstrum led Gardner-Webb with nine kills, followed by Kohler with eight. In the digs colum, McBride continued a good start to her graduate season at Gardner-Webb by adding a team-high 12 digs, while sophomore setter Olivia Lefebvre also continued a good individual run with already her fourth game with 18 more assists this season, finishing with 19 of the 35 total recorded by the Runnin' Bulldogs

UP NEXT
The Runnin' Bulldogs will stay in North Carolina for another weekend, visiting Campbell on Friday night, September 5th at 6:30 to open the Fairfield Inn and Suites Dunn Campbell Invitational