Box Score

RADFORD, Va. - - -The Radford women's volleyball team won their sixth straight match as the Highlanders overwhelmed the Presbyterian Blue Hose in straight sets, 25-16, 25-11, 25-19, on Tuesday evening at the Dedmon Center. Radford improved to 19-3 overall and 10-2 in the Big South while the Blue Hose fell to 7-16 and 4-7 in the league.
 
Highlander senior setter Haley Kleespies played a terrific all-around match and moved into second-place on the all-time school list in service aces. The West Grove, Pennsylvania native now has amassed 153 aces after serving up five this evening, including four in the opening set. Kleespies also distributed a match-high 30 assists and came up with 11 digs. Stephanie Neast continued her strong play as the junior right side hitter hit .400 en route to a match-high 10 kills along with five block assists. Classmate Mallory McKnight added seven kills along with six block assists, and reigning Big South Freshman of the Week Lilijana Henderson contributed seven kills.
 
The Highlanders hit .266 (39 kills, 14 errors, 94 attempts) in the match and held the visitors to a .032 mark (23 kills, 20 errors, 94 attempts).  Radford also dominated the net as they recorded nine team blocks compared to just one by the Blue Hose.
 
First Set
The Highlanders scored 11 unanswered points after Presbyterian took the opening point of the match. The Blue Hose closed to within 17-13 after a Radford hitting error, however, the hosts scored the next two points to widen their lead to 19-13. Kleepsies recorded four service aces in the frame and her final one put her in second-place all-time on the Radford list in the category. 
 
Second Set
Radford jumped out to an 8-0 lead and never looked back as all eight points came with Kleespies serving. The Highlanders extended their lead to 15-4 after Kleepsies came up with a kill. The Blue Hose trimmed the deficit to 15-7 but that was as close as they would get. Freshman outside hitter Kylie Tuxford came up with a kill to stop a modest 3-0 run by the visitors. 
 
Third Set
The visitors were within 4-3 but the Highlanders went on an 8-3 spurt to gain separation. Senior outside hitter Valerie Gonzalez recorded two kills during the stretch and Tuxford and Henderson also added a put-away. Presbyterian closed to within 13-10 but Neast answered with a kill and Henderson and Gonzalez combined for a block to keep the Blue Hose at bay. The visitors made one final push as they managed to get within 17-14 after an attack error by Radford but that was as close as they were able to get the rest of the way. A 5-2 spurt by the Highlanders, sparked by a pair of kills from Kleespies, extended the lead to 22-16. A kill by Neast eventually closed out the match.
 
Moment That Mattered
Kleespies spotted the Highlanders to an 8-0 lead in the second set as the hosts scored all of their points with the setter parked at the service line.
 
Next for the Highlanders
Radford will travel to first-place High Point on Friday evening at 7:00 p.m. The Highlanders will be looking to avenge a straight-set loss on September 29^that the Dedmon Center.
 
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