Boiling Springs, N.C. – Winthrop began Big South play with a victory on the road vs. Gardner-Webb by a final score of 3-1 (18-25, 25-16, 25-20, 25-22).
Winthrop (2-10, 1-0 Big South) | Gardner-Webb (6-7, 0-1 Big South)
Sep. 18, 2023 | Paul Porter Arena
Winthrop 3, Gardner-Webb 1 (18-25. 25-16, 25-20, 25-22)
How it Happened
Set 1 | Starting the match tied 3-3 with the Winthrop points coming on a GW error and kills by
Brookelynn Thomas and
Reece Rhoads, GW took a 15-9 lead with a 12-6 run. Thomas accounted for two of Winthrop's six points during GW's run. Trailing by that same score, the Eagles scored five of the next six points, capped off by
Riley Oglevie's kill, cutting the lead to 16-14. But it was all Gardner-Webb after that as the Runnin' Bulldogs secured the first set with a 9-4 run.
Set 2 | Winthrop responded by coming out on fire to begin the second set, taking an 11-4 lead.
Avery Jolley had two kills to lead the initial Winthrop offensive attack. The home team countered with a 7-3 run to cut the Eagle lead to 14-11. Undaunted, Winthrop then took their margin back up to seven at 19-12 by scoring five of the next six points. After GW scored the next two points, the Eagles tied the match at one with a 6-2 run.
Set 3 | Winthrop began the third set very much like the second, taking a 17-6 lead. Thomas led the way with four kills. Gardner-Webb scored four quick points to make it 17-10 only to see the Eagles go up by 12 at 22-10 with a 5-0 run, including two straight aces by
Madison Gorniak. The Runnin' Bulldogs refused to go away, cutting the lead to four at 24-20 with a huge 10-2 run. But Oglevie put Winthrop up in the match for the first time on the next play with a kill.
Set 4 | Trailing 8-4 to start what would prove to be the clinching set for the Eagles, Winthrop rallied to take a 13-10 lead with a 9-2 run. Jolley had three of Winthrop's nine points during the run, with Jolley's points being kills. Winthrop maintained a lead of 1-3 points for much of the rest of the way. Winthrop's largest lead of the set was four, occurring only at 22-18 after a Jolley ace. Up 23-22, Winthrop ended the day with a kill by Oglevie and a GW error.
Statistical Leaders
Notables
- The Eagles have played 1,786 matches all-time as the program holds a mark of 1,060-726.
- Four Eagles got into double figures in digs.
- Winthrop led in points, 59-57.
- The two teams were tied in kills, 48-48 and assists, 47-47.
- Winthrop had more aces, 6-3 and digs, 73-68.
- Jolley led the Eagles in kills with 13.
- Cadavid led the Eagles in aces with two.
- Thomas led the Eagles in blocks with four.
- Isabella Murray led the Eagles in assists with 38.
- Gorniak led the Eagles in digs with 16.
UP NEXT
The Eagles continue conference play next week with home matches against pre-season favorite High Point on Friday at 6 p.m. on ESPN+ and Radford the next day at 2 p.m.
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