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Radford University Athletics

Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
Stephanie Neast
2
Radford RAD 3-9
3
Winner High Point HP 9-8
Radford RAD
3-9
2
Final
3
High Point HP
9-8
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Radford RAD 33 25 23 13 11 (2)
High Point HP 31 22 25 22 14 (3)

Game Recap: Volleyball |

STRONG START NOT ENOUGH FOR RADFORD IN BIG SOUTH OPENER

HIGH POINT, N.C.— Radford opened Big South play with a tough 3-2 road loss to High Point on Saturday afternoon. Radford opened the match with two set victories but dropped three straight in an intense 2018 Big South Championship rematch.
 
SET ONE 
Radford and High Point went into a deep battle early on, as Radford battled back from a six-point deficit to tie the set at 16. The Highlanders would take advantage of five service errors by the Panthers in a back-and-forth battle where nobody took control until past the 30-point mark. Radford finally pulled out the first set victory, 33-31, when sophomore Grace Green's ace sealed the deal.
 
SET TWO
The early-match intensity continued for the Highlanders into the second set as both teams continued to trade points with each other. The second set was more evenly matched stat wise as both teams were within one or equal to each other in kills, attack errors and blocks. Another five service errors hurt the Panthers late into the set as the Highlanders were able to hold off a late surge by the Panthers to take the second set, 25-23.
 
SET THREE
Keeping in tune with the match overall the Panthers and Highlanders continued to battle each other neck and neck into the third set. Five attack errors by the Panthers to start the set gave the Highlanders the early 5-0 lead, but the Panthers would quickly claw back to keep the set close. Stephanie Neast picked up four of her kills in the match to help pace the Highlanders, but a 3-0 run by the Panthers finished the third set at 25-23 to keep the match alive.
 
SET FOUR
The fourth set became the only set of the day to not be the usual back-and-forth affair. A 6-1 run in the middle of the set proved to be too much to overcome as the Panthers were eventually able to pull away by 11 points and extend the match to a full five sets.
 
SET FIVE 
High Point jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the final set of the match but similar to a majority of the other sets of the game, neither team went away quietly. The Highlanders battled back led by kills from Neast and Hailey Flowers. The Highlanders allowed just a .217 hitting percentage in the final set and pulled within one point of the Panthers at 13-12. The Panthers would pull it out late though with a couple points to hand the Highlanders their first conference opener loss since 2015. 
 
STAT OF THE MATCH 
Junior Esmadar Tavares set her personal season-high in blocks with her 14 keeping the hard-hitting Panthers at bay.
 
TEAM LEADERS 
Neast and Flowers led the Highlanders with a combined 23 kills with Samantha Reitz and Taveras not far behind with six kills each. Neast and McKnight continued to lead the block party for Radford with 11 block assists.
 
UP NEXT
Radford will come back home for a duo of weekend conference games against Campbell on Friday at 6 p.m. and Hampton the following day at 4 p.m.
 
FOLLOW VOLLEYBALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on the Radford volleyball team follow @RadfordVB on Twitter and Instagram or Radford Volleyball on Facebook.
 
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