Match Slips Away for Highlanders Against Tough Flames Squad

Tuesday, September 8

Radford, Va.

6:00 PM

Radford University

2-5,0-0Big South

Liberty

4-3,0-0CUSA

Team	1	2	3	Final F
Liberty	25	28	25	3
Radford	19	26	16	0

Photo by: Matthew Maldonado

Match Slips Away for Highlanders Against Tough Flames Squad

9/8/2026 8:13:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

RADFORD, Va. – The Radford volleyball program fell in a tough 3-0 final Tuesday night in their home opener against Liberty 3-0, in a score that was tighter than it may first appear.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Macie Potter led Radford's attack with 11 kills on a season best .381 attack percentage.
Olivia Ryno (8 kills) and Addison Cunnagin (8 kills) also looked strong while Maja Bochenek was efficient connecting on kills in five of her total seven attempts.
Alyssa Cadavid was solid on the night with 17 kills and a pair of aces while Mia Jannazzo also picked up an ace to go with a team high nine digs.
While Radford hit at a respectable .277 rate once again tonight, their opponents saw a strong attacking clip of .400 with 52 kills to Radford's 43.

PLAY BY PLAY
Through the first two sets of Tuesday's home opener, the match had shades of Radford and Liberty's match last season in Lynchburg that went five sets as both teams were locked in a close affair. Early on it was kills from Taryn Roberts and Aubrey Hatch that paced the team but Liberty held a 15-11 edge by the first media timeout.

Out of that timeout Radford roared back with kills from Potter, Ryno and Roberts to force a Flames timeout. Cunnagin would tally a pair of kills late, but it wouldn't prove enough as Liberty rallied late to end the set 25-19.

Liberty's consistent attack continued into set two, but Radford's came alive and with force as the team hit .405 in set two. Potter played a large role in that with seven kills on 11 attempts, doubling up the next closest Highlander in the set. Early on it was Radford who jumped ahead early as Potter fueld the attack joined by Lea Gage who added a pair of kills.

Ahead 8-3, Liberty called a timeout and came back out on a run to tie the set back up at 14-14. A kill by Cunnagin gave Radford an edge at the media break but neither team would score further than a point ahead from then on until the deciding point of the set. Potter, Roberts, Cunnagin and Ryno all added kills as Radford's offense came from all angles. After tying at 26-26 Liberty scored the final two points needed, however, to take a 2-0 lead.

An early hole during set three would prove too much to overcome and seal Radford's fate in the eventual 3-0 final. The team fell behind by as far as 14-3 as Liberty surged ahead. A pair of aces by Cadavid and kills from Ryno, Potter and Bochenek helped the Highlanders get some points on the board. The set would go final at 25-16, though, as Liberty took the match.

UP NEXT
Radford goes back on the road for another weekend tournament, this time out west in Kansas City. Action in the Kansas City Klassic will kick off on Friday, September 11th against the hosts Kansas City at 11:30 a.m. (ET).

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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