JAMES’ DOUBLE-DOUBLE PROPELS VOLLEYBALL TO 3-0 WIN OVER WINTHROP

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ROCK HILL, S.C. – Cheyanne James recorded her seventh double-double of the season in leading the Radford volleyball team to a 3-0 (25-23, 25-17, 25-20) win over Winthrop Friday night inside the Winthrop Coliseum.

By claiming its 10^th sweep of the season, the Highlanders improve to 17-8 on the year and 6-2 in Big South action. With help from its fellow conference rivals, RU is alone in first place in the league standings entering Saturday's slate of matches. The Eagles drop to 11-11 overall, including 2-6 in conference play.

James finished her night with 10 kills and a match-high 13 digs, while Rachel Wiechecki tallied 11 kills and seven digs. Emma Deininger knocked down nine kills and four blocks, while Jena Braden (23) and Rachel Flores (11) combined for 34 assists.

Behind her offensive output, Deininger moved past Lauren Clary for seventh all-time in career kills with 609. Kelby Jackson joined James in double-digit digs with 10. As a team, the Highlanders hit .314 with 42 kills, 43 digs, six aces and six total blocks.

Irene Ojukwu charted 11 kills and seven digs to pace Winthrop. Jessie Vicic totaled a match-high 41 assists, while Maria Volstad notched a team-best 10 digs. The Eagles produced a .220 hitting percentage behind 43 kills to accompany 43 digs and four total blocks.

"It's a big win for our kids and the program," head coach Marci Jenkins said. "Our coaching staff had us ready and the kids executed what we needed to do."

James blasted five kills to guide Radford to the 25-23 victory in a tightly contested first frame, which featured 16 ties. One of the Virginia Beach, Va. native's kills broke a 16-all tie that began a 3-0 stretch for the Highlanders. Winthrop responded with a 3-1 rally to knot the set at 20. Still tied at 23, Deininger and Braden combined for a block and James unleashed a winner to clinch a 1-0 edge in the match.

Deininger cranked four kills on five attempts for an .800 attack rating to pace RU to the 25-17 triumph in the second stanza. Carson Widener went back to the service line an impressive six times in opening a 7-1 advantage for the Highlanders. After the Eagles closed the gap to 13-10, Radford countered with a 6-1 surge to grab a 19-11 lead. Winthrop could not get any closer than six the rest of the way as the visitors established a 2-0 favor at intermission.

Tied at 12 in the third set, Wiechecki erupted for back-to-back kills and Cantrell ripped a winner to push the Highlanders on top, 15-12. The Eagles cut their deficit to 19-18, but James delivered a rocket on the next rally to initiate a 4-0 run that cushioned Radford's lead to 23-18. RU scored two of the next four points to clinch its first win in Rock Hill since 2001.

Radford remains on the road for Saturday's 6 p.m. conference clash against Presbyterian College in Clinton, S.C. The Blue Hose are one of five teams tied for second in the league standings.

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