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Radford University Athletics

Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
Sophie Paspal
Robert Simmons
0
Rider Rider 0-2,0-0 MAAC
3
Winner Radford Rad 1-2,0-0 Big South
Rider Rider
0-2,0-0 MAAC
0
Final
3
Radford Rad
1-2,0-0 Big South
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Rider Rider 17 14 17 (0)
Radford Rad 25 25 25 (3)

Game Recap: Volleyball |

Volleyball Sweeps Rider in Early Morning Match for Hertel’s First Win

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Radford volleyball program responded in a big way Saturday morning sweeping Rider 3-0 in their final match at the Cherry & White Challenge. The victory marks the first in head coach Chris Hertel's tenure.
 
KEY STATS
  • Radford's blocking was a key part in the win as the team totaled six in the match, their best mark of the weekend.
  • Radford's 18-4 lead during the second set is their largest score margin in a set this season.
  • Sophie Paspal (12 kills) and Sydney Mundkowsky (12 kills) stayed hot reaching double digit kill totals once again.
  • The Highlanders defensive effort was stifling for the Broncos as they hit -0.059 during the match.
  • Julia Slivka just missed a double-double tallying 21 assists and 8 digs.
 
PLAY BY PLAY
The Highlanders wasted no time putting their best foot forward this morning despite a tight turn around after playing late into Friday night. Radford went up 7-2 early in the first set thanks a slew of attack errors from the Broncos.
 
Radford would keep that advantage throughout the first set, never letting Rider come closer than 2 points of their lead. Up 19-15, Radford got a 4-0 run to fully pull away before sealing the first set 25-17. Radford took two of three opening sets against their competition this weekend.
 
The intensity continued into the second set as Radford sprinted out to a 7-0 lead. That margin grew to as large as 18-4 allowing Radford to cruise to a big 2-0 advantage in the match winning the second set 25-14.
 
Looking to close things out, the third set wound up much closer between the two teams. Radford led 12-9 but Rider responded with a 5-0 run to briefly retake a lead. Out of a timeout, Radford responded incredibly well going on a huge 7-0 run to go back up 19-14.
 
That margin allowed Radford to hold on and close the match with three straight points completing the 3-0 sweep with a 25-17 win in the final set.
 
NOTABLES
  • After coming up just short last night, Hertel left no doubt in today's match for his first career victory as a head coach at the Division I level.
  • Radford's last sweep on a neutral court came on September 14th, 2019, against Lehigh, also in Philadelphia, Pa.
  • The win is the first for the Highlanders in program history over Rider, the two squads had only met once before back in 2019.
  • Mundkowsky finishes the weekend with an impressive 49 kills, already just 30 kills away from her single season career high.
 
AROUND THE BIG SOUTH
  • Charleston Southern fell to a tough UTRGV squad in another early morning match-up 3-0.
  • Gardner-Webb takes on Lamar in a Saturday morning match.
  • USC Upstate finalizes their weekend later today with a match against UNC Greensboro at 2 p.m.
  • Presbyterian continues their weekend facing Delaware State at 4 p.m.
  • High Point looks to remain unbeaten when they face BYU at 9 p.m. later tonight.
 
UP NEXT
The Highlanders hit the road again next weekend to compete in the Geri Polvino Invitational in Richmond, Ky. Action begins on September 6th with a pair of matches against Youngstown State and Eastern Kentucky.

FOLLOW RADFORD VOLLEYBALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on the Radford volleyball team follow @RadfordVB on X and Instagram or Radford Volleyball on Facebook.
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