BUIES CREEK, N.C. - The Gardner-Webb volleyball team completed a solid weekend at the Campbell Invitational on Saturday afternoon, scoring a 3-0 win over UNC Greensboro and a 3-1 win over Norfolk State in early-season tournament action After a narrow loss to the hosts on Friday night, the Runnin' Bulldogs turned it around to win three close sets and sweep UNC Greensboro to open Saturday's competition. GWU won the match behind 26-24, 25-21, and another 25-21 victory.

Gardner-Webb got off to a dream start against UNC Greensboro, jumping out in front with an 8-3 lead in the first set. As they were Friday night, GWU was led by freshman outside hitter Haedyn Crumbley and sophomore outside hitter Isabel Sandstrum, with each posting multiple kills early. That lead did slip to the tune of a 24-23 lead for UNC Greensboro late but through some strong serves by sophomore setter Olivia Lefebvre, the Dawgs held on to win 26-24.

The Runnin' Bulldogs saved its best for late in the second set, with GWU closing on a 7-2 run. With Gardner-Webb and UNC Greensboro tied 20-20, the Runnin' Bulldogs once again turned to Crumbley and Sandstrum for a couple of kills and a couple forced attack errors. With a service error by the Spartans, the Dawgs went up 2-0 in the match with a 25-21 win.

The third set proved to be one of the most exciting of the season for the Runnin' Bulldogs, with GWU rallying from down 14-7 to complete the sweep. After falling behind, junior middle hitter Milla Lugo scored back-to-back kills, while sophomore outside hitter Caroline Franklin added two, and Crumbley another to immediately get the Dawgs back in the set. Another 7-1 run late gave GWU the lead before Franklin put down an enthusiastic kill to complete the sweep.

LEADERS
Sandstrum and Crumbley led the opening match of the day with eight kills each, with Sandstrum recording 14 digs while Crumbley led with 16. Lugo added seven along with four block assists, while graduate transfer Nalani McBride managed 17 digs in the three set contest

GARDNER-WEB 3, NORFOLK STATE 1
In the late match, Gardner-Webb started strong and didn't look back on its way to its second win of the day, and a 3-1 win over Norfolk State.

In the match, GWU took the first set 25-15 and second set 25-19. Norfolk State rallied back to take the third before the Dawgs closed the match with a 25-21 win in the fourth

Gardner-Webb was dominant in the first, leading at points by 9-2, 16-9, and 20-10. Lefebvre proved to be the big star early, at one point scoring three consecutive service aces in the midst of a stretch of six Runnin' Bulldogs points in a row where she either recorded an ace or an assist. Five of the 25 points in the first came via a service ace by the sophomore.

While the final tally proved to be closer, Gardner-Webb was dominant again in the second set, at one point leading by as many as nine, 19-10. Freshman libero Annabelle Simms played some great rotations early as part of a 9-0 Gardner-Webb run, recording a pair of aces, while Franklin continued a strong individual day with the set-clinching kill, 25-19.

The Runnin' Bulldogs rallied in a big way in the fourth set to clinch the win. After Norfolk State won the third then led 21-19 in the fourth, Gardner-Webb turned things around with the match's final six points. In a bit of a summary of the full game, Lefebvre helped set up two points, Sandstrum added a kill, and Crumbley had a hand in five of the six points as GWU won the set 25-21 and the match 3-1.

LEADERS
Sophomore outside hitter Samia Sayd was excellent with 15 kills, while freshman middle hitter Brookelynn Nance and Franklin added 10 each. McBride led Gardner-Webb with another 20-dig game, while redshirt junior setter Sloane Rooney recorded 20 assists, and Lefebvre added 18 of her own.

UP NEXT
Early season tournament play continues on September 12th and 13th, with the Runnin' Bulldogs traveling north for the Navy Invitational, taking on Le Moyne, Navy and Hampton over the full weekend