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Radford University Athletics

Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
LeaGage
Rob Simmons
3
Winner Eastern Mich. EMU 1-0,0-0 MAC
1
Radford Rad 0-1,0-0 Big South
Winner
Eastern Mich. EMU
1-0,0-0 MAC
3
Final
1
Radford Rad
0-1,0-0 Big South
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Eastern Mich. EMU 22 25 25 25 (3)
Radford Rad 25 17 21 21 (1)
0
Kansas City KC 0-2,0-0 Summit League
3
Winner Radford Rad 1-1,0-0 Big South
Kansas City KC
0-2,0-0 Summit League
0
Final
3
Radford Rad
1-1,0-0 Big South
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Kansas City KC 14 19 21 (0)
Radford Rad 25 25 25 (3)

Game Recap: Volleyball |

Volleyball Bounces Back for Split on Day One of Highlander Invitational

RADFORD, Va. – The Radford volleyball program bounced back on Friday after falling 3-1 to Eastern Michigan to defeat UMKC 3-0 in their first day of action in the Highlander Invitational.
 
KEY STATS
  • Moore led the offensive efforts with 18 total kills on the day, logging her first double digit kill performance of the season with 12 against UMKC.
  • Lea Gage paced the offense with 16 assists in both matches averaging 4.57 per set.
  • Kolb finished the night with 12 total blocks splitting the matches with six in each.
  • Radford committed 22 less attack errors than their opponents and tallied seven more blocks.
  • The win over UMKC is the first in program history in two tries, with the only other meeting coming back in 2011 also played in the Dedmon Center.
 
GAME ONE
The Highlanders got off to a hot start in the first match of the day but faltered as the match went on to ultimately drop the opener. In set one, Radford took advantage early as Taryn Roberts scored the first pair of points on back-to-back kills. A 6-0 run vaulted the Eagles back out front, but Radford was able to battle back even thanks to some miscues.
 
Both teams traded points remaining tied up to 18-all. Radford strung a run together behind three attack errors by Eastern Michigan and a kill by Olivia Rino to go up 22-19. Ryno was able to cap her first set as a Highlander with a kill that sealed the opener 25-22 in Radford's favor.
 
Radford once again began the second set on a 3-0 run and would lead by as much as 6-1 behind five more mishaps by the Eastern Michigan offense. Out of a timeout, the Eagles pulled ahead thanks to a 7-0 run. A 5-0 run by the Highlanders fueled by blocks from Aubrey Hatch, Taryn Roberts and Sierra Moore would give Radford another brief edge 12-10.
 
Another extended run by Eastern Michigan gave them a lead that would hold through the rest of the set, however. Scoring seven of the final eight points of the set to seal the 25-17 finish, Eastern Michigan was able to even the match at one set apiece.
 
A slow start hurt the Highlanders in set three as the Eagles were able to jump ahead 9-4 early. Two more kills by the freshman Ryno would help Radford climb back to trail by just one at 12-11. A balanced attack effort saw kills from Hatch, Moore and Alana Kolb to keep things close throughout set three. Eastern Michigan was able to hold on 25-21 thanks to their early lead and go ahead 2-1 in the match.
 
Looking to claw back, Radford would have to escape and early hole as the Eagles went ahead 6-2 early in the fourth set. Katrina Miller provided a spark for the Highlanders at the midway point to pull back within one while a service ace from Jackline Nerro pulled the set to 15-15. Another run by the Eagles proved pivotal, though, as they scored seven of the next nine points. A late rally behind kills from Moore and Hatch weren't enough, as Easter Michigan took set four 25-21 and the match 3-1.
 
GAME TWO
The Highlanders wasted no time getting out ahead in game two of the day against UMKC to take an early lead with the first set. While things swung back and forth early, after tying 5-5 Radford used a 5-1 run thanks in part to a kill and block from Roberts to pull ahead. After a 4-0 run by the Roos briefly put them ahead, the Highlanders responded with one of their longest runs of the day at 7-0 to take a commanding 16-10 lead.
 
As Sierra Moore and Wiktoria Jakubik led the offensive attack, Radford also put up the blocks behind Jakubik and Kolb to pull ahead even further at 20-12. Alaina Roman would end the set with a bang, serving up an ace to seal the 25-14 decision and the early 1-0 lead.
 
Looking to keep the momentum, Radford got a big block from Rylee Sloss and Roberts early to keep UMKC at bay. Tying at 7-all, 8-all, and 10-all both squads traded points looking for an edge. A 7-1 run at the midway point would help Radford gain that edge.
 
Two kills and a block by Sloss ignited a Radford rally to go ahead 19-14 which proved pivotal in putting away an eventual two-set lead. Moore would add a pair of kills late while Miller and Jakubik put the set away with kills each at 25-19.
 
Now up 2-0, Radford was locked in the most competitive set of the nightcap as neither team would lead by more than two points for most of the set. Down 17-16, Radford rallied behind two more kills from Moore and an ace by Roberts. The Highlanders would put an exclamation point on the first win of the season taking set three 25-21 with back-to-back blocks from Miller, Kolb and Jakubik.
 
UP NEXT
Radford will close out action in the Highlander Invitational with one more home match tomorrow afternoon. Radford and Marshall will square off for a 1 p.m. start in the Dedmon Center, with all the action streaming on ESPN+ and RadfordAthletics.com.

STAY SOCIAL WITH RADFORD VOLLEYBALL
For all the latest on Radford Volleyball, be sure to follow the team on X (@RadfordVB), Instagram (@radfordvb), and "like" the team's official Facebook Page (Radford Volleyball).
 
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