Davidson College
Air Force
Volleyball Splits with Air Force, Gardner-Webb
9/8/2007 1:09:51 PM | Volleyball
Lauren Biggers
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. --The Davidson Wildcat volleyball team earned a split in the final day of competition at the Gardner-Webb Invitational, downing Air Force 3-0 (30-15, 30-27, 30-19) in the first match of the day before falling 3-2 (30-26, 27-30, 30-20, 30-24, 12-15) to the host Bulldogs in the nightcap.
At the end of the weekend, the 'Cats are 5-3 overall. Gardner-Webb is 6-5.
Senior Katie Pierucci, freshman Sarabeth Peele and junior Kittery Neale each had nine kills in the morning match to lead Davidson past Air Force. The 'Cats dominated the Falcons 15-6 on the block, with junior Alison Dwyer leading both squads with five.
Pierucci opened the first game with a service ace, and Davidson used an 8-2 run to take an early lead behind kills from freshmen Jorden Benedict and Peele. The Falcons never settled into a rhythm, and Davidson used another 14-1 run to open a devastating 23-8 lead for the 30-15 win.
In the second game, neither team managed to gain more than a point advantage, and the score was knotted as late as 25-25 before Peele gave Davidson the lead. With Peele serving, the 'Cats won a pair of points to take a 28-26 lead. A kill from Pierucci gave the 'Cats a game-point chance, but the Falcons got it back on a putaway from Caroline Kurtz. Nonetheless, Pierucci answered to lift Davidson to a 30-27 win in the second game.
After the break, the Falcons ran out of steam with Davidson running off the first six points and eventually taking a commanding 21-9 lead late in the game. The Falcons never got closer than 10, as Davidson rolled on for the 30-19 win to take the match.
In the night's match with Gardner-Webb, four Wildcat hitters reached double digits in kills, led by Peele who posted 21, along with Pierucci (12), Dwyer (11) and Neale (10).
In the first game, the 'Cats took an early lead, but fell behind on a kill from Ashley Pridgeon at 12-11. Gardner-Webb stayed on top until an ace from Peele knotted the score at 17-17, and the 'Cats won the next two points to take a 19-17 lead. Though things would stay close for the rest of the game, it would be enough for the 30-26 win.
Game two was back and forth before the 'Cats pieced together a three-point run to take a slight lead. Neither team, though, could gain a true edge and the score was even as late as 26-26. Heidi Steinebrunner posted one of her 23 kills to put the 'Dogs ahead, and Gardner-Webb won the next two points to take a 29-26 lead. Freshman Hayley Lawson's putaway of a pass from senior Courtney Cron saved the game for the 'Cats, but Pridgeon lifted Gardner-Webb to a 30-27 win in game two to even the match.
Things started coming together for the 'Cats in game three, and with Peele serving, they strung together six points to take an early 11-5 lead. The Bulldogs mounted a couple attacks, but that margin held up for an easy 30-20 win to take a 2-1 lead in the match. But the story was nearly reversed in game four, with the Bulldogs jumping out to an early 11-4 lead. Down as much as 20-13 at one point, the 'Cats kept fighting, but couldn't get closer than five, as the 'Dogs went on for the 30-24 win to force the decisive game five.
On a pair of Bulldog errors, the 'Cats won the first two points of the match-deciding game and opened up an important 4-1 early lead. But Gardner-Webb tied the score at 6-6, went ahead on a kill from Steinbrunner and never relinquished the lead, marching to a 15-12 win to take the match.
Davidson will make the short trip to Charlotte on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. match before taking to the Arizona Classic at the University of Arizona next weekend.
