Panthers Grind Out 3-0 Victory Over 'Cats

Friday, September 14

Davidson, N.C.

7:00 pm

Davidson College Athletics

3-5

High Point

9-4

High Point

Davidson

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

9/14/2012 8:55:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

By: Ashley Bailey

Match Highlights
Buy photos at DavidsonPhotos.com

DAVIDSON, N.C. - Tindall Sewell led the way with 10 kills, but the Davidson volleyball team couldn't get past High Point as the Panthers ground out a 3-0 victory over the 'Cats on Friday evening at Belk Arena.

Sewell and Taylor Pisel each finished with an attacking percentage of .250 to share the team lead as the 'Cats dropped three sets by scores of 21-25, 20-25 and 27-29. The team finished with six total team blocks and 26 kills, while combining for 49 digs and 34 assists on the evening.

Caroline Brown recorded a team-high 17 digs and added nine kills to the stat sheet. Pisel came up with several big kills in the match, totaling seven on the night. In addition, she tied for a team-high three block assists. Morgan Shannon had 12 digs and an assist, while Hannah Rau continued as one of the team's best blockers with three block assists. Ariel Ley had 30 assists and posted four digs and four kills as well.

High Point had three players finish in double digits in kills with Courtney Johnk and Kristin Heldt guiding the squad with 12 apiece. Chelsea Davis had 11 kills, while Annemarie Chin and Wavie Chin boasted 16 and 13 digs, respectively. The Panthers served up two aces in the match and ended with eight team blocks.

Neither team dominated the first set, as High Point's late five-point advantage would be the largest of the set. After the Panthers' took a 19-14 lead on a kill from Johnk, the Wildcats would battle back with kills by Ley and Brown, combined with a few HPU errors, to come within one down 20-19. A kill by Pisel and a service error on the Panthers kept Davidson within one at 22-21, but a sloppy ending would give High Pont the set by a score of 25-21.

The 'Cats battled to a 4-1 lead to start off the second set, but the Panthers would catch up on a kill by Kristin Heldt to tie the set at 10-10. A slew of errors kept the 'Cats in front 13-10, but he Panthers would capitalize on a Davidson attacking error to even the set once again at 13-13. Just as kills by Brown and Ley kept the slim lead in favor of the Wildcats, a Davidson error once again tied things up for the Panthers. Maddie Simpson then recorded three kills to lead HPU the rest of the way as they took the set 25-20 to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

Errors came in favor of the 'Cats midway through the third set as they took a 14-8 lead. However, the Panthers tallied five straight points to tie the set at 14-14 on a block by Heldt and Jamie McDonald. After the Panthers took an 18-17 lead, Brown notched a kill to tie the game at 18-18. High Point would take another slim advantage, but three straight points from the 'Cats ended with a kill by Rachel Earnhardt to once again tie the set at 23-23. With one point to go for the win, the Panthers committed an attacking error to keep the 'Cats in the game. A kill from Pisel then put the Wildcats a point away from the win, but things once again got sloppy and the Panthers capitalized to lead 28-27 on a kill by Heldt. High Point would take the set 29-27 to earn the 3-0 match victory.

The Wildcats will return to action at noon on Saturday when they face N.C. Central on the second day of play at the Wildcat Classic. The 'Cats will also face Green Bay in the final match of the tournament with the game slated for a 7 p.m. start.