BOX SCORE

RADFORD, Va. – Gardner-Webb connected on better than 30 percent of its attacks in the second and fourth games, and the Runnin' Bulldogs defeated Radford 3-1 (25-19, 25-16, 18-25, 25-17) in Big South volleyball action at the Dedmon Center on Saturday.

Melissa Richie and Laura Wilcox hit double-figure kills for Gardner-Webb (7-10, 1-1 Big South) in the win. Ritchie knocked down 15 kills to lead all players and Wilcox had 10, hitting .318 on the afternoon.

Freshman Emily Hayes (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett) and junior Laura Waddell (Lynchburg, Va./E.C. Glass) hit the 10-kill plateau for the second straight match, as Hayes turned in 11 and Waddell had 10 for the Highlanders (9-8, 0-2).

In the first game, a 6-0 run gave Gardner-Webb an 11-6 advantage, but the Highlanders reeled off an 8-3 streak to tie it at 14-14. The Runnin' Bulldogs took control from that point on, outscoring Radford 11-4 the rest of the way for the 25-19 win. A balanced Gardner-Webb attack was led by Wilcox's three kills and a service ace. Waddell knocked down four kills on nine tries (.444) for Radford.

The Runnin' Bulldogs scored six of the second game's final eight points, and hit at a .371 clip, rolling to a 25-16 win. Ritchie delivered a game-high eight kills, connecting on 41 percent of her tries. Hayes led Radford with four connections on 10 attempts.

Radford jumped on Gardner-Webb in the third set, using a 6-0 run to build a lead as large as eight points at 17-9, winning 25-18. The Runnin' Bulldogs trimmed the deficit to five, at 23-18, before Mariah Nussbaum's (Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade Julienne) kill and a Gardner-Webb attack error gave the Highlanders the win. Waddell delivered four kills for Radford, as the Highlanders hit 30 percent in the set.

Four straight points by Molly Rhyne, including three consecutive service aces, gave the Runnin' Bulldogs an eight point lead on their way to a 25-17 game four win. Rhyne delivered a kill to give Gardner-Webb a 16-11 lead, allowing the Runnin' Bulldogs to pull away from Radford.

Sophomore Katelyn Meeks (Richmond, Va./Mills Godwin) led three Highlanders in double figures defensively with 14 digs. Lauren Clary (Roanoke, Va./Cave Spring) picked up 13 while Desiree Aramburu (Chicago, Ill./Mother McAuley) added 12 and 32 assists for her sixth double-double of the 2009 season and second straight.

Both clubs finished with four total blocks.

Radford continues Big South action Tuesday, hosting High Point at 7 p.m.