Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Radford University Athletics

Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
Maci Keaton
3
Winner Radford RAD 9-1, 1-0 BSC
1
UNC Asheville AVL 5-6, 0-1 BSC
Winner
Radford RAD
9-1, 1-0 BSC
3
Final
1
UNC Asheville AVL
5-6, 0-1 BSC
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Radford RAD 25 25 18 25 (3)
UNC Asheville AVL 17 20 25 15 (1)

Game Recap: Volleyball |

VOLLEYBALL BEGINS CONFERENCE PLAY WITH FOUR SET WIN


 
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The Radford volleyball team produced a balanced attack to down UNC Asheville in four sets and begin Big South play with a win at the Justice Center on Friday night.
 
The Highlanders improved to 9-1 on the year to stay atop the conference standings while the Bulldogs fell to 5-6 through their first 11 matches.
 
Juniors Stephanie Neast (14) and Mallory McKnight (12), senior Valerie Gonzalez (11) and sophomore Maci Keaton (10) made up a four-barreled attack that combined for 47 of Radford's 54 kills in the match. Keaton was a pleasant addition to the rotation after playing just two sets all season coming into the night.
 
Only one Bulldog – junior Julia Borges – managed to reach the 10-kill mark against a stout Radford defense that held its opposition to a .146 hitting percentage on their home floor. Both sides recorded 23 attack errors and digs were extremely narrow at 51-50, but the Highlanders held advantages in total blocks (8.0-6.0) and service aces (3-2).
 
SET ONE: If Radford accumulated any rust during its 13-day break between matches, it wasn't evident in the team's first set against UNC Asheville. The Highlanders raced out to a 5-0 lead and went ahead by as many as eight points before taking a 25-17 victory. Five players recorded multiple kills to help Radford earn a .241 hitting percentage while holding the Bulldogs to .038. Both teams recorded six attack errors, two service errors, two blocks and one service ace so the majority of the statistics made set one seem closer than it was.
 
SET TWO: The Bulldogs looked like a much more formidable opponent in the second set, holding the lead up until Radford finally charged back to make it 15-14 midway through. Total attacks increased from 55 in set one to 72 in set two, but the Highlanders still held a .256 to .188 advantage in hitting percentage to earn a 25-20 win. Just like the first set, both teams tallied six attack errors and one service ace apiece.
 
SET THREE: It was a completely different story in the third set as UNC Asheville showed why it was picked fourth in the Big South preseason poll. After a back-and-forth start at 3-3, the Bulldogs took complete control and pushed their lead to as many as 10 at 18-8. The Highlanders fought to make it close, but ultimately fell, 25-18. Radford's hitting percentage fell to .179 with seven attack errors, but McKnight and Neast both reached double-digit kills on the night. UNC Asheville's Julia Borges stood out, connecting on six kills in the frame.
 
SET FOUR: The Highlanders bounced back from a tough third set to dominate the fourth en route to a 25-15 victory. As a team, they tallied a match-low 11 kills, but attack errors were kept to a match-best four. Radford also posted their best hitting percentage of the night at .259 and protected the net for three total blocks. Inversely, UNC Asheville has its worst set of the night with eight kills, eight attack errors, a .000 hitting percentage and no service aces.
 
MOMENT THAT MATTERED
After taking the first set in convincing fashion it would have been easy for the Highlanders to take their foot off the gas and allow UNC Asheville back into the match. That didn't happen, however, as Radford battled back from a three-point deficit early in the set to secure a 2-0 lead before eventually finishing the Bulldogs off in four sets.
 
STAT OF THE MATCH
Senior setter Haley Kleespies was excellent again in her first match since posting a triple-double against Lehigh back on Sept. 8. She surpassed 40 assists for the fourth time this season and matched her season high with 45 total assists.
 
QUOTABLE
"We were really balanced tonight with four kids in double figure kills which means Haley did a really nice job spreading the ball around. Maci Keaton stepped up in her first real action of the season so that was nice to see! Asheville is always a tough place to play so we are very happy with the outcome." - Head Coach Marci Byers
 
UP NEXT
The Highlanders get right back onto the court tomorrow (Saturday, Sept. 22) when they travel to Spartanburg, S.C. for their first-ever Big South showdown with USC Upstate. The match is scheduled for a 5 p.m. start at the G.B. Hodge Center and will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
 
FOLLOW RADFORD VOLLEYBALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on the Radford volleyball team follow @RadfordVB on Twitter and Instagram or Radford Volleyball on Facebook.


 
Print Friendly Version