VOLLEYBALL OUTLASTS THE CITADEL IN FIVE

BOX SCORE RADFORD, Va. – Playing in its first five-set match since last year's Big South semifinal win over Winthrop, the Radford volleyball team defeated The Citadel 3-2 (19-25, 26-24, 25-27, 25-23, 15-11) on Saturday morning as part of the Highlander Invitational.

Sophomore Rachel Wiechecki once again led the Highlanders (4-2) with 15 kills and 11 digs for her 11th career double-double. Fellow sophomore Emma Deininger continued her fine tournament play with 10 kills, while Savannah Cantrell tallied a career-high 10 kills on 16 attempts for a .562 hitting percentage.

Jena Braden dished out 33 assists (two shy of her career best) to go along with 12 digs, while Christine Beckham charted 21 helpers. Seeing her first action in 2012, Katelyn Meeks notched 13 digs and a match-high three aces. Emily Carlin and Cheyanne James round out the five-player lineup that registered double-figure digs.

Lauren Hurt's 16 kills were a match-high, while three other Bulldogs finished with 10 or more kills - Ise d'Angelo and Bailey Kernodle had double-doubles. Emily Dalton recorded a match-high 20 digs, while Mikaela Tracy was credited with 33 assists.

The Citadel (0-5) hit at a .333 clip to win game one, 25-19. With the game tied at 13, the Bulldogs used a 6-2 run to jump ahead, 19-15. The Citadel kept any Highlander comeback at bay over the final points of the set to take a 1-0 lead in the match.

In a marathon second game, Radford hit a match-high .349 to even the contest at a game apiece. The Highlanders grabbed an early 8-4 advantage and extended that lead to 23-17 later on. The Bulldogs mounted a late charge, winning six straight points to tie the game at 23-23. Wiechecki found the floor on the next play to give Radford its first game point.

After an RU attack error, an attack error by d'Angelo coupled with a Cantrell kill gave the Highlanders a 26-24 victory in the second set.

In another game that went extras, The Citadel would take the third set, 27-25. Tied at 7, Radford put together a 5-0 spurt to take a 12-7 lead. The advantage would grow to six, 16-10, before the Bulldogs went on a 10-4 surge to tie the set at 20. The Highlanders reclaimed the lead at 23-22 thanks to a kill from freshman Savanna Burton.

However, it was the visitors who would get the first match point opportunity, but a Cantrell kill denied The Citadel and tied the set at 24. On the next play, Burton found the floor once more to give RU its first opportunity to win the third game. The Bulldogs had other plans – winning the final three points to claim a 2-1 edge in the match.

In the fourth set, the Highlanders opened a 5-1 lead early on. The Citadel tied the game at 9-9 before the hosts went on a 6-3 run to claim a 15-12 edge. Once again the visitors had an answer, tying the game for the seventh time at 20. This time the Highlanders come out on top, winning five of the final eight points to force a decisive fifth set.

It was all Bulldogs early on in the deciding game, as the visitors took an 8-3 lead. After head coach Marci Jenkins called a timeout, her squad rallied with a 9-1 run to take its first lead of the set at 12-9.

A kill and ace by d'Angelo on the next two exchanges cut The Citadel's deficit to one. However, Radford stood tall and won the final three points via a Carlin kill, a Bulldog attack error and a Meeks ace.

The Highlanders will look to go 3-0 in its home tournament for the first time since 2009 (the tournament's first year) when the squad hosts Murray State at 7:00 p.m.

Print Friendly Version