Box Score

STATESBORO, GA – The Winthrop volleyball dropped its final game of the SpringHill Suites Invitational on Saturday evening as it fell to the East Tennessee State Buccaneers in five sets (25-14, 24-26, 18-25, 25-19, 15-13) at Georgia Southern's Hanner Fieldhouse.

The loss drops the Eagles to 3-9 on the season as they will now prepare for next weekend's Big South Conference opener against High Point and Radford in the Winthrop Coliseum.

Winthrop was led offensively by senior outside hitters Kaley Viola and Kellier Sellers as both players finished the match with double-doubles. Viola, who finished with a double-doubles in all three matches over  the weekend, recorded 10 kills and 10 digs. Sellers matched Viola's ten kills, and added 13 digs. Senior libeiro Kelsey Harrison paced the Eagles on defense with 19 digs. Senior setter Kelsey Hall and freshman setter Stephanie Palmer each added 19 assists. A s a team ,Winthrop finished the match with 43 kills, 61 digs and a .136 hitting percentage.

The two teams were tied at 5-5 in the first set before ETSU went on a 20-9 run to take the set. . The Bucs' offense accounted for 17 kills and a match-high .297 hitting percentage in the opening set.  In the second set Winthrop took an early 7-6 lead, and after ETSU came back to claim a 24-23 lead, the Eagles held off a set point before tying the game at 24.. An attacking error by ETSU's Erin Ryan and a service ace by Harrison gave Winthrop a 26-24 win to even the match at 1-1..

In the third set, the Buccaneers had an early 6-5 advantage, but Winthrop stormed back with a 20-12 run to take the set 25-18. The Eagles finished the third set with their highest hitting percentage of the match at .375.  The two teams swapped points early in the fourth set before ETSU took control late.  Holding a 20-18 advantage, the Bucs evened the match with a 5-1 run to win 25-19, setting up the deciding fifth set.

“We have to learn how to execute both offensively and defensively at the end of the set.” Head Coach Sally Polhamus said.

In the final set, Winthrop appeared to be pulling away as it took a 12-9 lead,  but ETSU then surged back and went on a 5-0 run to take a 14-1 lead and put the Eagles against the wall.. Winthrop fended off one set point, but could not fend off a second as ETSU's outside hitter Megan Devine had a kill to decide the match..

“We struggled to finish set four with inconsistent passing,” Polhamus said. “That continued into set five.”

Winthrop will host High Point at 7:00 p.m. on Sept. 24 and take on Radford, at 2 p.m. on Saturday.