Knights Take 3-1 Match from Wildcats

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ATLANTA, Ga. – Despite putting up 12 team blocks, the Davidson Wildcat volleyball team couldn't overcome a Central Florida offense hitting .340 and fell to the Knights by a score of 3-1 in their final game at the Georgia State Invite at the GSU Sports Arena Saturday evening. The Knights took the contest by set scores of 24-26, 25-13, 25-18 and 26-24.

Caroline Brown recorded her seventh double-double of the season with 15 kills and 13 digs to go along with three block assists and an ace on her way to a team high 17.5 points. She led a trio of players in double digit kills as Taylor Pisel slammed home 10 and Hannah Rau added in nine. Pisel, who also added a pair of block assists, earned all-tournament team honors for her efforts.

Freshmen Emily Franklin and Mikayla Derochie each finished with seven block assists, with Derochie recording 44 assists and six digs in the match. Tindall Sewell hit a team-high .667 on four kills before leaving with an injury in the first set.

Anastasia Owen had a team-high 14 digs and chipped in three assists as well as a service ace. Rachel Earnhardt added another of the team's four aces to go along with five kills and eight digs. The Wildcats hit .183 as a team with 51 kills and 50 digs.

Angelica Crump's 25 kills and .340 attacking percentage led the Knights, who finished with 69 kills and 11.0 team blocks. Marie Reiterova had a team-high 62 assists while three players ended the evening in double-digit digs for the Knights, led by Reiterova's 15.

A pair of early aces along with kills from Rau, Brown and Pisel helped the 'Cats take a 6-2 advantage to start set one. UCF was able to capitalize on several Davidson errors as they erased the four-point deficit to even the score at 11-11. The teams traded points from then on with neither team taking a clear lead. A late kill from Brown made it 22-21, but the Knights struck back with a kill from Loren Cory to even the score. Brown paired a kill with a UCF error to give Davidson the 24-23 lead, but the Knights came back from a timeout to tie the game at 24-24. In the end, Earnhardt slammed home a kill before Rau and Franklin came through on a big block to take the first set 26-24.

The Knights took the early lead in set two, claiming a 6-2 advantage. Their lead stretched to 13-6 before Davidson called a timeout to regroup. The squads swapped points with the Wildcats attempting to dig out of a nine-point hole at 19-9. Kills from Brown and Rau made a dent in the deficit, but UCF would take seven of the next 11 points as they claimed the second set 25-12.

Davidson was able to keep the score closer to start the third set, but a pair of Wildcat miscues helped the Knights score four straight and made it 11-6 in favor of UCF. The 'Cats then capitalized on a pair of UCF errors, trimming the deficit to five at 15-10. Three straight from the Knights made put their advantage at 19-11 before Brown and Layne Doctson were able to chip in with a pair of kills to make it a six-point lead in favor of Central Florida. Brown came through with a kill to go along with two more UCF miscues, forcing the Knights into a timeout. Davidson scored immediately following the break, but a pair of UCF blocks would finish things off as the Knights took the set 25-18.

The Wildcats came out ready to fight in the fourth set, battling their way to a 10-10 tie on an attacking error from Crump. Consecutive kills from Pisel and Earnhardt pushed the 'Cats ahead by two at 16-14, but a kill from Reiterova knotted the set at 18-all. The teams tied things up five more times, as Pisel and DeLaina Sarden traded kills to even the score at 23-23. Brown came through with a kill to set up set points for the Wildcats at 24-23, but UCF burned a timeout and scored on the ensuing play. Crump then picked up a kill to set up match-point for the Knights and paired with Sarden for the game-ending block as UCF took the set 26-24 to win the game 3-1.

"We had a good day despite the 1-1 outcome today," said head coach Chris Willis. "Georgia State challenged us in many ways offensively. Despite being outscored, out-killed, out-blocked and out-dug, we found a way to stay steady and score. The match against Central Florida brought a whole new set of challenges. They were a much more physical team with very dynamic hitters. Add to that the loss of our middle hitter, Tindall Sewell, in the first set and things looked pretty bleak. Despite that, the girls battled, taking the first set and nearly stealing the fourth. I'm very proud of their grit and determination and know that we are a better team by the way we responded to the adversity in such a positive manner."

Next up for the Wildcats is a trip to nearby High Point, N.C., to compete in the High Point Invitational Sept. 20-21. The squad will open play with a 7:30 p.m. match vs. Murray State on Friday.

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Caroline Brown

Hannah Rau

Taylor Pisel

Rachel Earnhardt

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