Box Score Box Score
BOILING SPRINGS, NC - The Winthrop volleyball team dropped its first conference match of the season as Gardner-Webb brought down the Eagles in four sets (25-18, 21-25, 25-16, 25-21) Friday night at Paul Porter Arena.
The loss snaps a five-match winning streak and brings Winthrop to 10-6 on the season and 5-1 in conference play, as GWU improves to 5-13 and 1-3 in the Big South.
The Eagles were led tonight by freshman libero
Catherine Brusie who finished with her first career 30-dig match, finishing with 31. Sophomore setter
Stephanie Palmer also finished with double-digit digs with 13 on the night. As a team, Winthrop ended with 69 digs. Offensively, the Eagles were led by junior outside hitter
Carolyn Weed with nine kills and senior middle hitter
Becca Toor with eight. Winthrop finished the night with 40 kills, as Palmer also dished out 33 assists to lead the team.
“I was disappointed that our team allowed Gardner-Webb to control the match from start to finish,” head coach Julie Torbett said. “Our coverage was shaky which affected our hitting.”
The first set started well for the Eagles as they jumped out to a 5-1 lead, but GWU stormed back into the set, finding gaps in the Winthrop defense. The Runnin' Bulldogs took command of the set and ran away, winning 25-18. GWU finished the set with 12 kills and a .206 hitting percentage as the Eagles finished with ten kills and ten errors.
Gardner-Webb came out attacking in the second set, as the Runnin' Bulldogs had control throughout the set, taking a convincing lead at the 20-17 mark. Winthrop bounced back in the set, rallying off three straight points to tie it, 20-20. The Eagles took five of the last six points, capped off by a Toor block solo to win the set, 25-21.
In the third set, GWU started the set strong and continued that pace throughout, cruising to a 25-16 set win. The Runnin' Bulldogs polished off the set with 14 kills, as the Eagles could only manage seven and a .030 hitting percentage.
The fourth set saw GWU jump out to a quick 6-0 run. Winthrop forced a tie at the 13-13 mark, but it was too much Gardner-Webb from that point as the Runnin' Bulldogs took the set and the match, 25-21. GWU notched 15 kills on 47 attacks in the set.
Gardner-Webb finished the match with a total of 54 kills. Leading the way was Lauren Evans with 14 kills and Melissa Richie with 12. Defensively, the Runnin' Bulldogs tallied 79 digs as Evan Moffitt tallied 23 to pace the team.
“We blocked well tonight and Brusie had a 30-dig night,” Torbett said. “We will need to come out stronger tomorrow.”
Winthrop will be back in action on Saturday, Oct. 8 when the Eagles travel to Asheville, NC to take on UNC Asheville. That match is slated for 4:30 p.m.
