Wildcats Lose in Five to ETSU, Sweep Radford

Box Score vs. ETSU
Box Score vs. Radford

RADFORD, Va. – The Davidson Wildcat volleyball team split decisions on its final day at the Radford University Tournament, dropping a five-set match (23-25, 23-25, 25-20, 26-24, 10-15) to the East Tennessee State Bucs this morning before sweeping the host Highlanders, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-22) in the team's final match at the Dedmon Center Saturday afternoon.

Senior outside hitter Sarabeth Peele led the way for Davidson (4-2), finishing with a team-best 10 kills against Radford and a season-high 17 against the Bucs (5-1). Junior outside hitter Christine Perzinski had another solid day for the 'Cats as well, finishing with 11 against the Bucs and 10 against the Highlanders (1-5).

Senior setter Hayley Lawson finished with 37 assists and a team-high five blocks, while classmate Jennifer Chamblee recorded a season-high 20 digs to lead the defense against the Bucs. Sophomore setter Ariel Ley finished with a team-best 19 assists against the Highlanders, while classmate Molly Crenshaw led the defense with 11 digs. Senior middle blocker Jorden Benedict had nine kills against ETSU, to go along with four blocks, while freshman outside hitter Caroline Brown posted eight kills against the Highlanders. Peele and Benedict were named to the All-Tournament team to represent the Wildcats.

The Wildcats won the first seven points of the opening set against Radford and never trailed. Davidson extended the early lead, as back-to-back kills from Perzinski and Peele put the 'Cats up, 15-9, and forced the Highlanders into a timeout. Radford responded with a 4-2 run to get within four, but it was as close as the Highlanders would get, as Davidson closed out the set on a Peele kill for the 25-20 win.

The second game was close early before Radford used a Wildcat error and a pair of aces Ashley Acklin to open an 11-7 lead and force Davidson into a timeout. Davidson rallied with a 6-2 run to knot the score at 13, and Jorden Benedict put the 'Cats ahead in the next possession. A Davidson service error tied the score again before the 'Cats went ahead for good on a pair of Radford errors. The Highlanders survived four set points before Lawson's putaway delivered the 25-21 win to put Davidson ahead 2-0 in the match.

In the final game against Radford, the Wildcats took an early 4-2 lead on a kill from Lupfer and an error and held the margin until late in the game. The Highlanders chipped away at Davidson's 16-12 lead to knot the score at 17 on back-to-back Wildcat errors. The teams traded points from there, until with things knotted at 19, Davidson used a 4-1 run to take a 24-20 lead. Radford again survived a pair of match points before Lawson again put away the set-winner.

In the opening match of the day, the Bucs needed five sets to defeat the Wildcats. The first set was back and forth, until with the teams knotted at 15, ETSU won a pair of points on a kill from Long and a Wildcat error. Junior middle blocker Madison Benedict got two straight points to tie the score, but the Bucs rattled off four straight scores to take a 21-17 lead. Benedict's fourth kill of the set followed by a Buc attack error got the 'Cats two back, but ETSU won the next four points to take the first set, 25-19.

ETSU opened a 7-2 lead to start the second set, before Davidson fought back to knot the score at nine with a 7-2 run. The rest of the set was back and forth, featuring 10 ties and four lead changes. A putaway from junior right side Erin Lupfer lifted the 'Cats ahead, 21-20, but two straight Wildcat errors gave the lead back to the Bucs, 23-22. Perzinski won the next point to knot the score at 23, but Lauren Baufield and Erin Ryan delivered the 25-23 win to ETSU for a 2-0 lead in the match.

The Wildcats opened up a 9-4 lead to start the third set and fought off a late charge from the Bucs, who used a 4-0 run get within one point, 19-18. Davidson answered with its own 4-0 run behind Perzinski and blocks from Lawson and Jorden Benedict to extend the lead to 23-19 and traded points before Peele lifted the 'Cats to a 25-20 win.

The Bucs took a 7-3 lead to start the fourth set, but Davidson answered with a 8-4 run to tie the game at 11. The teams traded scores until ETSU pulled ahead 17-14 on a kill from Devine and a Wildcat error to force Davidson into a timeout. The Wildcats rallied out of the break to win the next three points on a kill from Lupfer and a pair from Jorden Benedict, evening the score at 17. Neither team could pull ahead, until Davidson put together three straight points to take a 23-20 lead. After a kill from Long for the Bucs, Peele gave the 'Cats a set-point try, but ETSU won the next three to even the score at 24. Peele and Lupfer, though, went back to back to deliver the 26-24 win and force the decisive set.

In abbreviated play, ETSU jumped out to a 3-0 lead, though Davidson won the next three on errors by the Bucs to knot the score. But after ETSU put together a 4-1 run to open a 7-4 lead the Bucs would control the rest of the set. Davidson would get within two late in the game, 12-10, behind an attack error and a kill from Perzinski, but the Bucs won the final three points to take the match with a 15-10 win.

Davidson will return to action next weekend when it travels to the University of Texas at San Antonio to take on UTEP, UT-Pan American and the host Roadrunners before opening play at home the following weekend at the Wildcat Classic Sept. 17 and 18.

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