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Radford University Athletics

Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
SavannaHammond
Rob Simmons
1
Gardner-Webb GW 4-19,2-7 Big South
3
Winner Radford Rad 8-13,5-5 Big South
Gardner-Webb GW
4-19,2-7 Big South
1
Final
3
Radford Rad
8-13,5-5 Big South
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Gardner-Webb GW 25 23 13 20 (1)
Radford Rad 18 25 25 25 (3)

Game Recap: Volleyball |

Hammond Earns First Victory as Highlanders Down Runnin’ Bulldogs 3-1

RADFORD, Va. – The Radford volleyball program used a dominant performance over the final three sets of Friday night's match against Gardner-Webb to win 3-1 and earn head coach Savanna Hammond her first win with the Highlanders.
 
KEY STATS
  • Sophie Paspal and Olivia Flanagan each finished with 11 kills and combined for 12 total blocks.
  • Julia Slivka paced the offense with a team-best 23 assists earning a double-double with 11 digs.
  • Radford recovered from a slow start to hit .208 on the night, boosted largely by a .423 hitting percentage in the third set.
  • After hitting .297 in the opening set, Gardner-Webb wouldn't hit over .150 over the remaining three sets.
 
PLAY BY PLAY
After an early run by Gardner-Webb to start the match set them up 5-2, Radford was forced to play catch-up. Kills by Slivka and Sierra Moore kept things close as a kill from Aubrey Hatch would help Radford tie the set at 6-6.
 
A pair of errors would even see the Highlanders take an 8-7 lead, but Gardner-Webb used a 4-1 run to retake a lead they wouldn't relinquish in the set. With a 6-2 run over the closing points, Gardner-Webb was able to take a 1-0 lead taking the first set 25-18.
 
In set two, this time it was Radford who would build an early 4-2 lead thanks to a 4-0 run with kills from Flanagan and Paspal. After some Gardner-Webb errors, Radford capitalized getting kills from Moore and Taryn Roberts to go on a 7-1 run to lead 11-5.
 
A reverse 6-0 run by Gardner-Webb quickly tied things back up, but Radford would go back up with three straight points of their own including two more kills from Roberts. Gardner-Webb refused to go away, tying the set back up at 16-16, but Radford was fully able to put away the set in their favor thanks in large part to a 5-1 run that included two kills from Flanagan. The Highlanders would keep that pace through the end of the second set, taking it 25-23.
 
The third set was the Highlanders strongest of the night. Radford immediately took a 7-1 lead thanks to a slew of attack errors by Gardner-Webb. More kills from Flanagan, Paspal and Hatch made it a 13-4 lead. Gardner-Webb would string together a few runs, but nothing stuck as Radford cruised to take a lead in the match winning the set 25-13.
 
That momentum carried into the fourth set as the Highlanders took a strong 7-3 lead out the gate. Moore came alive for a pair of kills while the offense evenly spread to other Highlanders such as Roberts, Hatch and Kennedy Robinson to keep Radford out front.
 
Up 13-10, Radford got a 6-0 run with strong attacks from Flanagan and Paspal to give themselves a large cushion. That cushion would hold despite a late run by the Runnin' Bulldogs that tightened the set. Radford ultimately came out on top 25-20 to seal the match 3-1 in their favor.
 
NOTABLES
  • The victory is the first for head coach Hammond who took over the program just a few weeks ago.
  • The Highlanders have swept the Runnin' Bulldogs in their two meetings this season, their first opponent sweep of the conference slate.
  • Paspal passed the 200 kills mark with her effort tonight hitting .416 on 399 total attacks this season.
  • Slivka also passed the 400 assists mark this season with her total now sitting at 422.
 
AROUND THE BIG SOUTH
  • High Point remained unbeaten in conference play defeating Winthrop in a 3-1 final.
  • UNC Asheville earned a home sweep over Charleston Southern 3-0.
  • USC Upstate and Presbyterian went five sets with the Blue Hose ultimately coming out on top thanks to a late rally 3-2.
 
UP NEXT
The Highlanders will stick to the home court to host Winthrop on Saturday, November 2nd. Action is set to start at 2 p.m. inside the Dedmon Center.

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