Saturday, September 12
Davidson, N.C.
10:00 a.m.
Davidson College
2
vs
3
Radford
'Cats Drop Five-Set Match to Radford in Second Day of Volleyball Classic
9/12/2009 3:10:11 PM | Volleyball
DAVIDSON, N.C. – After holding a 2-0 leading, Davidson could not hold back a Radford combined as the Highlanders combined for 30 kills over the last two games to rally past Wildcats 3-2 (22-25, 22-25, 25-17, 29-27, 15-13) on day two of the Davidson Wildcat Classic Saturday afternoon at Belk Arena.
The victory was the sixth in the last seven matches for the Highlanders as they improve to 7-3, while the host Wildcats fall to 2-7 on the season.
Peele led the way for Davidson with a season-high 27 kills on 67 attempts (.239). Jorden Benedict also hit double figures for the 'Cats with 13. Hayley Lawson and Anna Bradbury split setting duties for Davidson contributing 24 and 23 assists, respectively.
Trailing two games to none, Radford closed game three on a 10-4 run capped off by four consecutive points to win the frame, 25-17, and extend the contest.
Game four featured 13 ties and six lead changes before the Highlanders tied the match at two games apiece with a thrilling 29-27 win. Along with connecting on 20 of their attempts, including six kills from Laura Waddell (Lynchburg, Va.) and five by Mariah Nussbaum (Dayton, Ohio / Chaminade Julienne), Radford hit a match-high .319 to force a fifth and deciding game.
Playing in their third straight five-game match and fourth of the young campaign, the Highlanders used a 7-2 run to erase an 11-8 deficit and secure the win.
Waddell and Nussbaum led the Highlanders with 12 kills each, while freshman Emily Hayes (Bartlett, Ill. / Bartlett) added nine and Lauren Clary (Roanoke, Va. / Cave Spring), Carly Fleming (Manassas, Va. / Osbourn Park) and Desiree Aramburu (Chicago, Ill. / Mother McAuley) finished with seven apiece.
Aramburu also tallied 45 assists and 12 digs for her third double-double of the season. Katelyn Meeks (Richmond, Va, / Mills Godwin) and Clary were also impressive defensively for Radford with 24 and 17 digs, respectively.
Thanks to 6-3 runs to open and close game one Davidson took an early 1-0 advantage with a 25-22 victory in the first. Nussbaum and Sarabeth Peele paced their respective teams in the opener with four kills each.
In game two, Radford used an 8-1 streak highlighted by the strong serving of Kiley Kent (Indianapolis, Ind. / Warren Central) to take an 11-6 lead. The Wildcats' responded with a lengthy flurry (14-5) of their own to push the margin back in their favor, 20-16, but the Highlanders fought back to even the score for a seventh and final time, 22-22. Davidson broke the deadlock and took a 2-0 lead into the break with three straight to close the frame.
Despite both teams connecting on less than 20-percent of their swings in the first two games, the Wildcats' Peele found the floor eight (.727) times in the second.
Davidson closes out the Classic with a 7 p.m. contest against Canisius later this evening.
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