HIGHLANDERS DOWNED IN STRAIGHT SETS BY PRESBYTERIAN

BOX SCORE RADFORD, Va. – The Radford volleyball team fell behind early in each set and could not recover as Presbyterian College swept a Big South tilt inside the Dedmon Center Saturday evening 25-17, 25-13 and 25-16.

Jesse Miedema and Rachel Fertitta led the Highlanders (13-13, 3-6 Big South) with eight kills each, while Christine Beckham and Jena Braden dished out 12 assists each. Katelyn Meeks anchored the backline, accounting for a match-high-tying 20 digs.

Rachel Hall led the Blue Hose (9-15, 6-3 Big South) with a match-high 11 kills. Ashtin Frank assisted on a match-high 38 attacks, while Mary Trimpe headed the defensive efforts with 20 digs.

PC darted out to a 5-0 lead in the opening stanza, but a Rachel Wiechecki kill followed by a visitor attack error drew Radford to within three (5-2). A Cheyanne James kill trimmed the deficit to one at 10-9, but the Blue Hose initiated a 7-2 spurt that put them ahead, 17-11. The Highlanders got to within four (18-14), but Presbyterian finished off the frame on a 7-3 run to take the first set.

The Blue Hose launched out of the gates in the second stanza with a 12-2 advantage. The early hole proved too deep for Radford to dig out of as PC claimed the frame and the 2-0 edge in the match heading into intermission.

Presbyterian established a 9-3 lead in the third set, but RU made a charge at the visitors with a 6-2 surge to trail only by two (11-9) after a Wiechecki ace. The Blue Hose proceeded to go on an 11-1 run to take a 22-10 advantage late in the stanza, which created enough separation for the visitors to take set three and the match.

The Highlanders conclude their three-match homestand against Liberty next Friday (Oct. 26). The Big South clash is set for 7:00 p.m. inside the Dedmon Center. The Blue Hose returns home to the Templeton Center for a pair of league tilts next weekend. First up will be a Friday date with Charleston Southern at 7:00 p.m.

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