Radford Roundup: February 22 - March 1 - Radford University Athletics

Monday, February 22

Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Radford University

Pinnacle Bank Intercollegiate

Radford Roundup: February 22 - March 1

2/22/2021 3:19:00 PM | Baseball, Radford Athletics, Men's Golf, Men's Soccer, Men's Tennis, Softball, Women's Golf, Women's Soccer, Women's Tennis, Volleyball, Women's Lacrosse, General

BASEBALL

at Virginia Tech - Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2 p.m.
vs. Bucknell - Friday, Feb. 26, 3 p.m. | Saturday, Feb. 27, 2 p.m. | Sunday, Feb. 28, 1 p.m.
Where: Virginia Tech: Blacksburg, Va. | English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park // Bucknell: Radford, Va. | Williams Field at Sherman Carter Memorial Stadium
Series: Virginia Tech: Virginia Tech leads, 48-15 // Bucknell: Radford leads, 11-1
Records: Radford (2-1) | Virginia Tech (2-0) | Bucknell (0-0)
Links: Virginia Tech: Watch | Live Stats | Radford Game Notes | VT Game Notes // Bucknell: Live Stats | Radford Game Notes | Bucknell Game Notes

Radford plays its first road game of the season Tuesday at Virginia Tech. The contest begins a four-game week for the Highlanders, which features a three-game weekend series at home against Bucknell.
Radford's starting rotation of Greg Duncan, Vinnie Venturi and Ryan Bywaters combined to allow just four runs (two earned) in 15.1 innings of work against Ohio on Opening Weekend, helping the Highlanders go 2-1 over the weekend.
Dac Archer had a pair of multi-hit games over the weekend and leads the team with a .417 batting average.
Anthony Galati leads Radford with four RBI's after opening the scoring in each of the final two games of the series with two-run hits.
Alex Perkins closed out the ninth in each of Radford's two wins and has allowed just one baserunner in two innings while striking out four.
Virginia Tech had the start of its season delayed by two days, but the Hokies are currently sitting at 2-0 after a doubleheader sweep of Kent State on Sunday. Virginia Tech outscored Kent State 12-3 in their doubleheader sweep.
The Hokies were picked to finish sixth in the ACC Coastal Division this season.
This will be the first action for Bucknell this season. The Bison were 4-12 in 2020 and were picked fifth in the Patriot League Preseason Poll.

SOFTBALL

CANCELLED
Friday, Feb. 26th | vs. George Mason (DH) – 3/5 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 28th | at George Mason (DH) – 3/5 p.m.
Where: Radford, Va. (Radford Softball Stadium) | Fairfax, Va. (George Mason Softball Complex)
Series: Radford leads, 14-7
Links: Live Stats

The Highlanders will open its home slate on Friday afternoon in a doubleheader against George Mason after the original home opener vs. Virginia Tech on Wednesday was cancelled due to poor field conditions.
~~Radford (0-7) looks to pick up its first win of the season after the hot 2020 start has not carried over into 2021.~~
~~Sydney Fisher leads the team batting .300 and has a team-best six hits.~~
Riley Oakes earned her first start in the circle on Sunday against Stony Brook and only allowed two earned runs, while striking out five through 8.2 innings of work. Unfortunately, the Highlanders suffered a nine-inning loss to the Seawolves.
~~George Mason was set to open the 2021 season on Feb. 13 and 14 with Norfolk State but the four-game series was cancelled due to inclement weather.~~

WOMEN'S SOCCER

POSTPONED
~~Sunday, Feb. 28th | vs. USC Upstate – 2 p.m.~~
Where: Radford, Va. | Cupp Stadium
Series: Radford leads, 7-0-0
Links: Live Stats

~~Radford returns home for its first Big South contest since the 2019 season.~~
~~The Highlanders will take on USC Upstate at 2 p.m., inside Cupp Stadium.~~
~~After an 8-0 rout of Roanoke College, the Highlanders fell to Presbyterian last time out.~~
~~The Blue Hose sunk a shot in the 83' despite the Highlanders leading in shots, 14-10. Lily McLane led with four of the Highlanders 14 shots.~~
~~USC Upstate tied with Longwood in its season opener. Freshman goalkeeper Cora Brendle tallied 10 saves in the 1-1 tie.~~

VOLLEYBALL

at High Point - Thursday, Feb. 25, 2 p.m. | Friday, Feb. 26, 1 p.m.
Where: High Point, N.C. | Millis Center
Series: High Point leads, 29-25
Records: Radford (3-3, 3-3 BSC) | High Point (4-0, 4-0 BSC)
Links: Watch Live (Game One) | Live Stats | Watch Live (Game Two)

Radford split the season series with Presbyterian in matches that went the length of five sets, both nights.
The Highlanders rallied back in game one from an 0-2 start to take the remaining three sets.
Hailey Flowers established a new career-high for herself in kills at 16 and 19 points. She also tied her career-highs with a pair of aces and nine digs.
Presbyterian reversed the outcome on Sunday night with their rally back into contention after falling behind 0-2 to Radford early on.
In the loss, Maddie Lentz set a new career-high in assists with 45 on the night.

MEN'S SOCCER

at Gardner-Webb - Sunday, Feb. 28, 4 p.m.
Where: Boiling Springs, N.C. | (Greene-Harbison Stadium)
Series: Coastal leads, 1-0
Records: Radford (0-2-0, 0-1-0 Big South) | Gardner-Webb (1-1-0, 0-1-0 Big South)
Links: Live Stats

Radford dropped its first two matches of the season last week, a 4-0 decision to Liberty and a 2-1 heartbreaker to USC Upstate to open Big South play.
Pape Oumar Gueye netted the Highlanders first goal of the season in the 22nd minute of Sunday's game at USC Upstate.
Joseba Incera has played all 180 minutes in goal for Radford, making five saves through the first two games.
Patrick Siczek is the only outfield player to play all 180 minutes this season for Radford.
Radford has taken just 16 shots through the first two games, but 10 of those 16 have been on target.
Six different Highlanders made their team debuts last week: Toby Squire, Mustaph Kamara, Solomon Clark, Jayden Gonsalves, Ryan Machado-Jones and Anthony Giannecchini.
Gardner-Webb enters the week 1-1-0 overall and 0-1-0 in Big South play. The Runnin' Bulldogs defeated VMI 5-0 before losing to High Point in their Big South opener, 4-0. GWU will play UNCG before its match against the Highlanders.

LACROSSE

at VCU - Wednesday, Feb. 24, 4 p.m.
Where: Richmond, Va. | Cary Street Field
Series: This is the first meeting between these two teams
Records: Radford (0-2) | VCU (2-0)
Links: Live Stats | Watch Live

Radford begins the 2021 season 0-2 after facing tough non-conference opponents like No.10 ranked Richmond and Coastal Carolina.
The Highlanders have 10 players ranked nationally in various categories. As a team, Radford is 18th in caused turnovers per game and 29th in clearing percentage.
VCU is on a two game winning streak after opening the season at ODU and hosting fellow Big South member, Longwood.
VCU's goalkeeper, Gillian Belfiore, was named A-10 Defensive Player of the Week back on February 16 for her 10 saves in her team's 11-7 victory after facing 21 shot attempts and 17 shots on goal.

MEN'S TENNIS

vs. Bluefield State College - Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2 p.m. | vs. North Carolina A&T - Saturday, Feb. 27, 1 p.m. | at UNC Greensboro - Monday, Mar. 1, 3 p.m.
Where: Radford, Va. - Radford Tennis Complex (Wednesday and Saturday) | Greensboro, N.C. - UNCG Tennis Courts (Monday)
Records: Radford (0-0) | Bluefield State College (4-2) | North Carolina A&T (0-4) | UNC Greensboro (0-2)
Links: Bluefield State College and North Carolina A&T: Live Stats

The Highlanders will open up their 2021 spring season with a trio of matches over six days.
Radford returns four of their top contributors from the shortened 2020 season with Demis Taramonlis and Yevhen Sirous leading the squad.
Four new freshmen have also joined the team and will look to make their first marks as Highlanders.
Radford competed against and was victorious against both North Carolina A&T (5-2) and UNC Greensboro (4-3) last season.

WOMEN'S TENNIS

vs. Bluefield State College - Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2 p.m. | vs. Towson - Friday, Feb. 26, 2 p.m. | vs. North Carolina A&T - Saturday, Feb. 27, 1 p.m.
Where: Radford, Va. - Radford Tennis Complex (Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday)
Records: Radford (0-0) | Bluefield State College (2-3) | Towson (1-2) | North Carolina A&T (0-3)
Links: Bluefield State College, Towson, and North Carolina A&T: Live Stats

The Highlanders start their 2021 campaign with a trio of matches over just four days.
Seniors Jeanine Acierto and Tyler Blalock return from last season and will look to build open the early success they experienced in the 2020 spring season.
Melissa Ifidzhen joins the team as a transfer from VCU, while two freshmen in Emily Brandow and Salma Loudili also join the Highlanders.
Radford last played North Carolina A&T in 2020 and swiftly beat them 6-1 on the home courts.

MEN'S GOLF

at Pinnacle Bank Intercollegiate - Monday, Feb. 22 - Tuesday, Feb. 23
Where: Hilton Head Island, S.C. - Palmetto Hall GC
Host Institution: Francis Marion University
Links: Live Scoring

Radford begins its spring season in sunny South Carolina when it takes part in the Pinnacle Bank Intercollegiate.
The tournament is the first of four events that will take place in South Carolina for the Highlanders.
Radford returns four of its five starters from last season, including seniors Hunter Duncan and Tyler Hull, who were second and third on the team in stroke average a year ago.
The Highlanders also return Nicholas Taliaferro and Andrew Kennedy, who teamed up to win the VSGA Four-Ball Championship in the fall.
Radford is one of five Big South teams in the tournament field, joined by Charleston Southern, Gardner-Webb, Presbyterian and Winthrop.

WOMEN'S GOLF

at Kiawah Island Classic - Sunday, Feb. 28 - Tuesday, March 2
Where: Kiawah Island, S.C. - Cougar Point and Oak Point Courses
Host Institution: College of Charleston
Links: Live Scoring

Radford begins its season at the Kiawah Island Classic, the first of six tournaments for the Highlanders this season.
Radford set its school record 54-hole scoring last season at the William & Mary Fall Invitational (904).
Jayde Dudley returns for her sophomore season after earning Big South Freshman of the Week five times during the 2019-20 season. Dudley's stroke average of 75.35 is among the best in school history.
Team captain Sidney Walker leads a team that returns four starters from its 2019-20 roster. Walker also earned Big South All-Academic honors and earned her first career Big South Golfer of the Week award last year.
Jimenna Ramirez and Niki Batac are the new faces to the team this year, with each having four years of eligibility.

Stay tuned for the next Radford Roundup which will feature events from Monday, March 1st through Monday, March 8th.

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