RADFORD, Va. -
Trailing 2-1 entering
the fourth set, the Presbyterian College volleyball team put together a
tremendous final 40 points, helping the team earn its second Big South
Conference road win of the season, defeating Radford 3-2 Friday evening. Set
scores were 25-18, 15-25, 19-25, 25-21, 15-13.
The Blue Hose improve to 9-10 on the season and 2-3 in conference action. The
Highlanders fall to 6-13 on the year and 0-5 in league play.
Leading the way for head coach Chris Belshe's team was sophomore Presley
Mabrey, who netted a match-high 18 kills. Senior Amanda Kettles continued her
torrid streak, slamming down 17 kills versus two errors for a .455 attack
percentage. Freshman middle blocker Andrea Barman put forth a strong effort up
front, notching 11 kills to just one error for a .526 attack percentage. Senior
Lisa Shelley also reached double figures, recording 10 smashes on the night.
Redshirt-senior Kilee Ruppe continued her stellar play, tallying a
double-double with 46 assists and 10 digs. Libero Ashley Dunlap also had 10
digs while Shelley narrowly missed a double-double after posting nine digs.
Elizabeth Heineman and Carolyn Fabros each accounted for seven digs.
As a team, PC hit .205 while accounting for 57 kills. The team combined for 51
assists, six aces and 55 digs in the five-set thriller.
With the score tied at four apiece in the first set, the Blue Hose went on a
7-0 spurt that started with a service error by Radford. Kettles then put down a
kill followed by an ace by Shelley. Kettles had another kill that was mixed in
with two attack errors by the Highlanders and a block by Mabrey.
PC then kept its lead the rest of the way, essentially trading points with RU.
The lead grew to as many as eight on a block by Mabrey, making the score 22-14.
A kill by Mabrey and Barman, combined with an attack error by Radford, secured
the 25-18 win for the visitors.
In the second set, PC found itself trailing by one, 10-9. A 3-0 spurt by the
home team forced a time-out by Belshe. The Blue Hose crawled within two, 14-12,
on a Dunlap ace, but it was the closest the team could get as errors by the
squad allowed Radford to tie the match at 1-1 heading into the intermission.
The third set was also unkind to the Blue and Garnet. An attack error by
Radford tied the set at 13 apiece. Three straight kills by the Highlanders
forced a time-out by the Blue Hose. PC responded with a quick point, but two
was as close as the team could get the rest of the way. Once again, errors
doomed the team in the set.
Forced to play from behind, Belshe's team responded in fine fashion. Trailing
2-1 in the fourth set, PC reeled off a 9-3 spurt to go ahead 10-5, forcing the
home team to take a time-out. During the run, Shelley had a kill while Kettles
had two. Heineman also posted an ace.
The home team fought back, pulling within two, 16-14. After a break in the
action called by PC, the Highlanders tied the set at 17. At 18 apiece, Ruppe
found Barman for back-to-back kills, giving the team a 20-18 lead. After a
point by Radford, Barman took matters into her own hands, notching back-to-back
kills and a 22-19 advantage. Barman eventually ended the set with a slam,
helping PC win 25-21.
The Blue Hose carried the momentum into the fifth and final set, running off
four straight points to open play. Mabrey got things going with a kill. After
an error by RU, Mabrey split the defense with back-to-back aces. Barman gave
the team a 5-1 lead only to see the Highlanders eventually climb back to even
the contest at 13.
Although it seemed as Radford had the momentum, an over ball was played by
Kettles, who did not give the defense a chance to react with her powerful kill.
With match point in their favor, Kettles and Ruppe stuffed Emily Carlin to
clinch the comeback.
The Blue Hose return to action tomorrow at 4 p.m., when they travel to High
Point to take on the Panthers.
