CONWAY, SC – The Winthrop volleyball team dropped a heartbreaking five-set contest to the Radford Highlanders Friday evening in the semi-finals of the Big South Tournament.

The Eagles end their season with a 20-12 overall record.  Radford improves to 24-7 overall and will play for the conference title on Sunday against either Coastal Carolina or High Point.

Sophomore Emma Weakland led four Eagles in double-digit kills with 16.  Freshman Nikki Drost and junior Rachel Lenz each added 14 kills while sophomore Brianna Gray added 10 kills.  Drost recorded a double-double by also adding 23 digs.  Senior Jessie Vicic added 59 assists while sophomore Maria Volstad led the team with 33 digs.

The two sides were even through the first 12 points of the opening set before Radford pulled away slightly 9-6.  Winthrop battled back on an 11-3 run to take a 17-12 lead.  From there the Eagles were able to cruise to a 25-18 first-set victory.

Winthrop fell behind early in the second set 6-3 as Radford was then able to increase their lead to eight at 20-12.  The Eagles fought back on a 6-0 run to get within two at 20-18 but couldn't get any closer as the Highlanders took the second set 25-21.

The Eagles had to play from behind again in the third set, trailing by as much as five at 13-8.  Winthrop made another big run, this time 13-4, to take a 21-17 lead.  The Eagles were able to reach set point at 24-21, but Radford fought off three straight.  With the score tied 25-25 the Eagles got back-to-back kills from Nikki Drost and Rachel Lenz to take the third set 27-25.

Winthrop trailed early in the fourth set and Radford was able to maintain a comfortable lead throughout.  The Eagles got within two at 16-14, but couldn't get any closer.  Radford went on to take the fourth set 25-20.

The Eagles took the first point of the decisive fifth set, but then dropped the next five and Winthrop took a timeout.  The break did little to stop the Radford attack as the Highlanders continued to lead at 11-5 before another Eagle timeout.  After grabbing the next point, Winthrop dropped the final four, falling 15-6.

Winthrop finished with 65 kills and a .209 attack percentage.  The Eagles totaled 63 assists, 96 digs, five service aces and five total blocks.