HIGHLANDERS PUSH PAST PESKY PRESBYTERIAN, 3-2

Saturday, October 25

RADFORD

4:00 PM

Radford University

17-7, 7-2BSC

Presbyterian

9-12, 4-5BSC

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Presbyterian	25	18	25	25	7	2
Radford	20	25	27	21	15	3

Photo by: RUHighlanderPhotos.com

10/25/2014 6:00:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

Follow @RadfordVB

RADFORD, Va. – For the second-straight season, Radford and Presbyterian College battled to a fifth set, and for the second-straight time, the Highlanders were able to come out on the winning side as they prevailed (20-25, 25-18, 27-25, 21-25, 15-7) Saturday evening in Big South volleyball action inside the Dedmon Center.

The Highlanders (17-7, 7-2 Big South) remained unbeaten at home, improving their home record to 6-0 on the year. They have won nine-straight matches at the Dedmon Center, dating back to Oct. 19 of last year.

However, that winning streak nearly ended Saturday evening. The Blue Hose (9-12, 4-5 Big South) came out with a point to prove after falling in three sets to league-leading Liberty the night before. PC hit .216 for the match, becoming just the second team to attack over .200 against Radford in the last eight outings. In addition to their offense, the Blue Hose were effective behind the service line, dialing up 10 aces.

Nonetheless, the Highlanders were able to grit out the win. RU finished with a .251 attacking efficiency, led by Rachel Wiechecki's 17^th double-double of the season (21 kills and 19 digs). Emma Deininger and Megan Short obliterated 14 and 13 kills, respectively.

Jena Braden was hard at work at the setter position, handing out a season-high 56 assists, which were only three shy of her career high. However, Braden's serving was also crucial to Radford's performance. The senior played an instrumental role in several scoring rallies on the strength of her serve.

On the defensive side, Braden (17), Kelby Jackson (16) and Savanna Burton (11) joined Wiechecki in the double-digit digs department. The Highlanders accumulated 78 as a team. Savannah Cantrell led the blocking efforts with five, followed by Deininger's four. Emma Wroblicky delivered a pair of aces.

Reining Big South player of the week Rachel Hall terminated 17 kills at a .270 clip to pace Presbyterian. Rachel Elshoff charted a double-double behind 14 kills and 11 digs. Ashtin Frank managed the offense with her 45 assists. Mary Trimpe anchored the Blue Hose's backline with 29 digs.

With the win, Radford sets up a Friday night showdown on Oct. 31 between two of the Big South's top-three teams in the conference standings as league-leading Liberty comes to town for a 7 p.m. clash. The Flames defeated RU, 3-1, at the Vines Center earlier this season.