Volleyball Downs Western Carolina in Straight Sets

Saturday, October 6

Cullowhee, N.C.

7:00 pm

Davidson College

7-8, 3-2SoCon

Western Carolina

7-14, 3-3SoCon

Davidson

Western Carolina

Volleyball Downs Western Carolina in Straight Sets

10/6/2012 9:00:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

By: Ashley Bailey

Buy photos at Davidson Photos

CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The Davidson volleyball team battled to a 3-0 win over Western Carolina at the Ramsey Center on Saturday evening, moving to 7-8 overall and 3-2 in the Southern Conference with set victories of 25-23, 27-25 and 25-23.

Caroline Brown earned her 10th double-double of the season with a team-leading 17 kills and a defensive effort of 23 digs. Hannah Rau's attacking percentage of .429 led the 'Cats, who hit .200 as a team. Molly Crenshaw paced the defense with 24 digs, while Anastasia Owen accounted for 18. Tindall Sewell had 11 kills and a block assist, while Rachel Earnhardt recorded nine. Ariel Ley finished with a team-leading 38 assists and added one of the team's service aces. The 'Cats finished with 4.0 team blocks.

Three Catamounts finished in double digits in kills, led by Jordan Timmerman's 15. Addy George and Caitlin Piechota each recorded 12 and 10, respectively. Tina Nazario had 40 assists for WCU, who hit .140 in the match. Four players finished in double digits in digs, led by Morgan Cochran's 23 and Paige McConlogue's 23.

The teams stayed neck-and-neck for most of the first set, with an attacking error by the Catamounts tying the set at nine points apiece. Nazario again tied things up with a service ace at 19-19, and a kill by Sewell once again evened the set at 21-21. Ley came through with a kill and an ace on back-to-back plays before Michelle McNeight put the set away for the Wildcats at 25-23.

Owen served three straight points as the 'Cats took a 4-0 lead to start the second set. However, McConlogue did the same for the Catamounts to tie the set at 6-6. A kill from Nicole Ford gave the Western Carolina a 17-14 lead, and the Catamounts would keep the slim lead long enough for set point. However, three consecutive errors would tie the game at 24-24. Back-to-back kills by Brown would give the advantage to the 'Cats, who took the set 27-25 to go up 2-0 in the match.

The Catamounts led for most of the third set, overcoming numerous ties early in the set. A block by Brown and Rau would tie things up at 16-16, and a kill by Brown combined with some WCU errors would push the Wildcats in front 20-17. However, a pair of kills by Addy George swung the set back into the favor of WCU, who took a 23-21. However, Sewell and Earnhardt struck back to bring Davidson within a point of the win. Sewell then slammed down another to give the 'Cats the 25-23 set win and 3-0 match victory.

The Wildcats will return home on Monday, where they will host SoCon-foe Georgia Southern in a 6 p.m. match at Belk Arena.