Comeback Effort Falls Just Short for Radford at Old Dominion

Friday, September 20

Norfolk, VA

6:00 PM

Radford University

3-7,0-0Big South

Old Dominion

10-2,0-0Sun Belt

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Radford	18	23	25	29	13	2
Old Dominion	25	25	20	27	15	3

Comeback Effort Falls Just Short for Radford at Old Dominion

9/20/2024 8:50:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

NORFOLK, Va. – The Radford volleyball program took on Old Dominion Friday night in a match that came down to the wire as a big comeback effort fell just short in a 3-2 final.

KEY STATS

Three Highlanders recorded double digit kills in a single match for the first time this season including Sophie Paspal (14), Olivia Flanagan (10) and Sierra Moore (10).
Radford's 14 total blocks was a new single-match high for 2024.
The Highlanders' 14 aces also marked a season high.
Alana Kolb and Moore set new personal highs for aces in a single match with four and five, respectively.

PLAY BY PLAY
Friday night's meeting between the two squads, marking the second straight season of the two teams playing each other after not playing at all prior, got off to a slow start before the Highlanders gradually gained steam.

Old Dominion and Radford struggled with the attack early on, but it was the Monarchs who were able to eventually pull away, winning the first set 25-18. The second set saw both programs settle in and featured back-and-forth trading of points, but Radford once again fell behind 25-23 and would need a big comeback to pull off a win.

In the third set, Radford got the boost it needed. After falling behind by as much as 16-12, the Highlanders battled for their longest run of the season scoring 11 straight points to burst out to a 23-16 lead. The run proved enough, and Radford forced another set after winning the third 25-20.

In set four, Radford fell behind early but once again didn't give in. Down 7-3, Radford went on another 7-1 run to flip the script and pull back ahead. Up 18-14, Old Dominion responded with a 7-0 run that could've doomed the Highlanders as they suddenly trailed 21-18.

The Highlanders dug deep and got three straight points to tie the set. Both squads traded points as defenses held strong. It was Radford who would eventually prevail, ending the fourth set on a 3-0 run winning 29-27 to force the pivotal fifth set.

The momentum carried into that fifth set as Radford built an early 3-1 advantage. Old Dominion pulled things back to even where neither team would gain a clear edge until the final. Unfortunately, the Highlanders comeback effort would come up just short as Old Dominion took the final set 15-13 and the match 3-2.

AROUND THE BIG SOUTH

Gardner-Webb fell in a pair of matches in Fairfax, Va. to FDU 3-0 and Morgan State 3-2.
Winthrop fell in their first match of the day 3-0 to Western Carolina but rebounded with a 3-0 win over Alabama State.
Presbyterian fell to Valparaiso 3-0 in their lone match of the day.
Charleston Southern fell 3-0 to Western Illinois and took on Sacred Heart in their second match of the day.
High Point picked up a road win in five sets 3-2 over UMBC.

UP NEXT
Radford finishes their weekend in Norfolk tomorrow morning with a match against UMES at 11 a.m.

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