'Cats Sweep Cross-County Rival Charlotte, Win Third Straight

Tuesday, October 11

Davidson, N.C.

7:00 p.m.

Davidson College

8-11

Charlotte

6-14

Charlotte

Davidson

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

'Cats Sweep Cross-County Rival Charlotte, Win Third Straight

10/11/2016 9:18:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

davidsonphotos.com
Davidson-Charlotte Box Score (PDF)

DAVIDSON, N.C. – After falling the last two times Davidson and crosstown rival Charlotte have faced off, a decisive sweep in favor of the Wildcats was in order Tuesday night in Baker Sports Complex. The 'Cats recorded set scores of 25-18, 25-16, and 25-21 to pick up their third sweep of the year.

Davidson improves to 8-11 on the year, while Charlotte drops to 6-14 and has now lost nine straight.

"We put together a good match today," head coach Chris Willis said. "Offensively, we were really clicking and in system, our passers probably played their best executed match of the year. We feel good going into the weekend facing the top two teams in the Atlantic 10 after that game."

Junior Kelly Friers led the offensive charge, recording 13 kills. Sophomore Ciera Cockrell added 10, while a pair of her classmates each added nine apiece in Sabrina Shepherd and Katharine Franz. Franz set new career-highs in both kills and hitting percentage (.438). Senior captains Emily Franklin and Mikayla Derochie each had impressive nights; Franklin recorded two solo blocks, bringing her career total to 23 and moving into 10^th all-time in the Davidson record books, and Derochie recorded her 12^th double-double of the season (43 assists, 13 digs).

After taking the first couple points of the opening stanza, Davidson gave up five straight points to the Niners before using a combination of three and four-point rallies to take a lead they would never relinquish, taking the set 25-18. Shepherd turned in five kills alone in the first frame, hitting at a .364 clip.

The Wildcats continued to dominate in the second set, as the duo of Franz at the service line and Cockrell at the net provided four straight Davidson points to go up 9-5. The squad then solidified their lead when freshman libero Elise Edman delivered a 6-0 rally and helped set up the sweep after taking the frame 25-16. Friers and Cockrell each chipped in five slams, including three in a row from Friers to conclude the set.

Looking to avoid the sweep, Charlotte responded from the intermission in aggressive fashion, taking an early 3-0 lead. Davidson quickly worked to regain control, going up by as many as six points late in the set. The sweep was sealed in the Wildcats favor thanks to freshman Emma McLaughlin, playing in the first set of her career, who recorded back-to-back kills to secure the frame 25-21, and the match 3-0.

Junior transfer Janell Sparks paced the 49ers, recording a double-double with 11 kills and 14 digs.

Davidson remains at home, welcoming Saint Louis on Friday before facing off against the 2016 Atlantic 10 Preseason favorite, and current league leader, Dayton on Sunday.