Rock Hill, S.C. – Winthrop volleyball won a thriller against Campbell 3-2 (18-25, 25-11, 25-17, 20-25, 15-10) Friday on Senior Night at the Winthrop Coliseum.
Winthrop (13-9, 9-2 Big South) | Campbell (14-9, 10-1 Big South)
Oct. 28, 2022 | Winthrop Coliseum
Winthrop 3, Campbell 0 (18-25, 25-11, 25-17, 20-25, 15-10)
How it Happened
Set 1 | Winthrop started the game with a quick 2-0 lead off kills by
Brookelynn Thomas and
Alayna Jansky. After Campbell scored the next four points, a kill by
Isabella Murray made it 4-3. Another kill by Thomas and two errors on the Camels then cut it to one at 7-6. After two more Campbell points, a service error cut the deficit to 9-7. The next couple of points were back and forth, with Winthrop getting within three points on three separate occasions off kills by Jansky,
Avery Jolley, Murray and Thomas, making it 14-11 after the Thomas kill. But the closest Winthrop would get for the rest of the set was two points after a Thomas ace and a
Karli Shepherd kill, making the score 15-13 in favor of the visitors. Campbell pulled away after that, finishing the set on an 11-6 run, with two of the Winthrop points being service errors against the Camels.
Set 2 | The Camels started out with an early 6-3 lead but it was all Eagles after that, finishing the set on an incredible 22-5 run.
Madison Gorniak had two aces and Jolley, Shepherd, Jansky and Thomas each had two kills during the run to lead the Winthrop blitz. Jolley also recorded an ace. Winthrop's largest lead of the set was by 14 on two occasions, at 23-9 and 24-10. A service error against the Camels then ended the set at 25-11.
Set 3 | Winthrop began the third set with a 5-2 lead on two kills by Jansky and a Gorniak ace. Winthrop then tied it up at eight on two Camel errors and a Murray kill and another Campbell error and a Shepherd kill gave Winthrop a 10-8 lead. The Camels fought back to tie it at 11 but kills by Jansky and Thomas put Winthrop ahead to stay for the remainder of the set as the closest Campbell got was at 14-13. Winthrop then finished the set on an 11-4 run, including five straight points. The 5-0 run was capped off by a Shepherd kill to make it 19-13 Eagles. Campbell scored two more points only to have the Eagles seize their largest lead of the set at 22-15 off a kill and ace by Thomas and a Campbell error. The Camels responded with a 2-0 run but three straight errors gave Winthrop the 25-17 victory in the set and a 2-1 lead in the match.
Set 4 | Campbell started off the fourth set with a 11-4 lead, with Winthrop's only points being two Jansky kills, a Thomas kill and a Camel error. But the Eagles went on a 7-2 run with
Alicia Roberts recording three kills during the run, making it 13-11. Campbell then got three points to go up 16-11. But Winthrop would not go away, tying it up at 16 on two Jansky kills and three Campbell errors. Campbell then took the lead and didn't give it up after that, ending the set on a 8-3 run to force the deciding fifth set.
Set 5 | The fifth and final set started out at 4-4, with kills by
Sydney Nolan, Jansky, Roberts and a Camel error. The Eagles then took a 7-4 lead via two Gorniak aces and a Jansky kill. Campbell cut it to one but a kill by Jansky gave Winthrop an 8-6 lead at the halfway point of the set. Two kills by Shepard and a Campbell error then gave Winthrop an 11-6 lead. Campbell rallied with four of the next five points to make it 12-10. A Jolley kill and a Campbell error put the Eagles within one point of winning the match. An error by the Camels officially ended it, giving the Eagles a huge upset and a Senior Night to remember.
Statistical Leaders
Alayna Jansky (18 kills, 12 digs)
Brookelynn Thomas (10 kills, 2 aces, 4 blocks)
Avery Jolley (9 kills, 1 ace, 6 blocks)
Alicia Roberts (8 blocks)
Isabella Murray (43 assists, 18 digs)
Madison Gorniak (5 assists, 26 digs)
Notables
- The Eagles have won seven straight, tied for their longest win streak since 2021, when Winthrop also won seven straight contests
- The Eagles have played 1,769 matches all-time as the program holds a mark of 1,055-713
- Gorniak ties a career high in digs
- Winthrop snaps a three-game losing streak to Campbell and now lead the all-time series 22-15
- Winthrop is 7-0 in home conference play
- The Eagles handed Campbell their first conference loss this season
UP NEXT
The Eagles are back in action tomorrow for the final home match of the season when they host High Point at 2 p.m. Its Halloween Costume Night so come out all dressed up in your favorite Halloween costume.
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