JAMES CARRIES VOLLEYBALL TO FIVE-SET VICTORY AT HIGH POINT

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HIGH POINT, N.C. – For the second-straight match, the Radford volleyball team was forced to five sets. However, this one had a better ending than the last as the Highlanders showed their will to win in a 3-2 (25-20, 24-26, 19-25, 25-16, 15-12) triumph over High Point Friday night in Big South action inside the Millis Center.

With the win, RU improves to 14-7 overall and 3-1 in conference play to tie Gardner-Webb and Presbyterian College atop the league standings. High Point drops to 8-11 on the season, in addition to a 2-2 mark in the Big South.

"I cannot say enough about our team tonight," head coach Marci Jenkins said. "Cheyanne was incredible offensively and our back row came through for us, especially in the fifth set. High Point is one of the top defensive teams in the league, so for us to adjust offensively and earn this win was very important."

Sophomore outside hitter Cheyanne James was phenomenal all match, cranking a career-high 24 kills and charting 15 digs en route to her fourth double-double of the season. Her offensive output ties for the third-most kills recorded in a match in program history, and only two shy of the all-time record of 26 done twice by Elizabeth Aldredge in 2005.

Following the Virginia Beach, Va. native's lead were Megan Short (nine kills and four blocks), Rachel Wiechecki (eight kills and a match-high 20 digs), Emma Deininger (eight kills and a season-best eight blocks) and Jesse Miedema (seven kills and five blocks). Jena Braden finished with a team-high 35 assists, while Big South Freshman of the Week Kelby Jackson (13) and Emma Wroblicky (11) combined for 24 digs.

Wiechecki served up two aces to increase her career total to 97, which ties Aldredge for fourth place all-time in program history. In addition, Deininger slips into the top 10 for career kills as she has amassed 569 in her time at Radford.

Chelsea Davis matched James with 24 kills to lead the Panthers. Kristin Heldt tallied a double-double with 22 kills and 11 digs, while Maddie Simpson joined her with a match-best 45 assists and 18 digs. Annemarie Chin (18) and Wavie Chin (17) combined for 35 digs. Katie Vincent added a team-high six blocks.

Behind eight kills from James and a 4-0 run at the end, RU claimed a 25-20 victory in the opening frame. After the Highlanders established a 12-5 advantage, High Point rallied to eventually cut its deficit to one at 21-20. On the next rally, Short crushed a kill to ignite the set-clinching surge.

Radford erased a 3-1 deficit to jump ahead, 9-6, in the second stanza. From there, the two sides were tied nine more times before a Wiechecki kill sparked a 5-1 spurt to earn the Highlanders set point at 24-20. Out of a Panther timeout, Davis crushed a kill to begin a 6-0 comeback that propelled HPU to the 26-24 triumph.

High Point rode its momentum into the third set, racing out to an 8-1 advantage. However, the Highlanders did not back down as they battled back to 17-15 following the kill by Deininger that put her into the program's record books. A Davis blast on the next point initiated a 5-0 spurt that pushed the Panthers' advantage to 22-15. Once again, RU rallied to close the gap to 23-19 before High Point won the next two points to clinch a 2-1 edge in the match.

In the fourth frame, the Highlanders once again erased an early deficit (4-1) to tie it at 5 following a Wiechecki kill. Tied again at 6, a Carson Widener ace started a 4-1 streak to push Radford in front, 10-7. Still ahead by three (13-10), the Highlanders claimed the next four points to build a 17-10 favor. HPU notched the ensuing three points before Radford ended the stanza on an 8-3 run to force a decisive fifth frame.

Tied at 4 in the early going, a James rocket ignited a 5-1 rally to boost the Highlanders' lead to 9-5. High Point trimmed its deficit to two on five different occasions over the final rallies, with the last being at 14-12. However, James ended it on the next rally as her 62^nd swing of the match proved to be the match winner.

Radford continues its tour through North Carolina with a 2 p.m. match at Campbell. The Camels are 11-9 overall and 2-2 in the Big South following their 3-1 defeat to Liberty tonight at home.

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