RADFORD, V.A. – Winthrop volleyball sweeps the season series with the Radford Highlanders after shutting them down, 25-22, 25-12 and 25-18, Friday afternoon. The Eagles improve to 7-5 overall on the season.
 
KEY CONTRIBUTORS
Brookelyn Thomas (10 kills)
Morgan Bossler (9 kills, 5 blocks)
Jana Owens (22 assists)
Nikkia Benitez (19 digs, 8 kills, 3 blocks, 1 assist)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Similarly to their meeting on Thursday evening, Set 1 between the Eagles and Highlanders was a back-and-forth battle. Radford went on a five-point stretch to take an early 5-3 lead over the Eagles. Winthrop responded with a run of their own, tying the contest up at seven apiece. A 7-0 run for the Eagles put them ahead 14-9.  Back-to-back errors on the Eagles, followed by three straight Radford points, kept things close down the stretch, making it a 20-18 contest. The Eagles won the set 25-22 off a Morgan Bossler kill.
 
Winthrop was dominant in Set 2. They had four streaks of three consecutive points or better to take and keep a large lead over the Highlanders. An 8-2 run halfway through the set put the Eagles ahead 17-10 and they never looked back. A big 6-0 run ended the set, with Winthrop earning the 25-12 win.  
 
Back-to-back attack errors gave the Eagles a quick 4-1 lead. Radford got within one of tying things up with a kill by Hailey Flowers but a 3-0 run for the Eagles, capped off by a kill by Colleen Siebold, put the Eagles ahead, 9-5. Consecutive service errors for the Eagles, allowed Radford to keep things close but another 4-0 spark put the Eagles ahead five, 15-10. Winthrop won the set, 25-18, off an attack error by Radford's Emily Dykes.
 
UP NEXT
The Eagles will return home for a two-game set against the Presbyterian Blue Hose on Mar. 25-26. First serve on Thursday is set for p.m., while first serve on Friday is set for 2 p.m. We will also recognize the graduating seniors prior to the start of Friday's match.