High Point, N.C. – After trailing 2-0, Winthrop came all the way back to force the fifth set but eventually fell to High Point in the title match of the Big South Conference Tournament Sunday afternoon at the Millis Center on the campus of High Point University.
Winthrop (16-10, 12-2 Big South) | High Point (23-6, 13-1 Big South)
Nov. 24, 2024 | Millis Center
Winthrop 2, High Point 3 (23-25, 20-25, 27-25, 25-18, 12-15)
How it Happened
Set 1 | High Point led 5-3 before a kill by
Maeve Rehmann and an ace by
Isabella Murray tied it at five. The Panthers broke the tie by taking a 10-7 lead but then the Eagles went on a 9-4 run to seize a 16-14 lead. High Point fought back to lead by one at 18-17 but a kill by
Karli Shepherd and an error by the Panthers put Winthrop back in the lead. The Panthers then scored the next three points to take a 21-19 lead only to have the Eagles come back to go up 23-22. High Point again scored the next three points to take the first set.
Set 2 | The two teams split the first seven points of the second set before High Point scored six of the next nine points to go up 13-9. Kills by
Giselle Little and an ace by
Sophia Matthews cut the lead in half but three straight points scored by the Panthers upped their margin to five. Winthrop again got two quick points but so did High Point, restoring their five-point lead. The Eagles continued to hang around, cutting the deficit to two at 19-17 by scoring four of the next five points but the Panthers then doubled their lead in the match with a 6-3 closing run.
Set 3 | Winthrop led 4-2 to start the third set. High Point scored the next four points to take a two-point lead only to have the Eagles score off five Panther mistakes, a Matthews ace, two kills by
Avery Jolley and kills by
Sydney Nolan, Little and
Rachel McCollum to vault into a 15-12 edge. High Point then scored four straight points to go out in front by one but the Eagles rallied again for a 22-19 lead after a kill by
Paige Bennett. High Point came back with four straight points to lead 23-22 but another High Point error and a kill by McCollum put Winthrop up by one. The Panthers tied it on the next play but McCollum put the Eagles ahead 25-24 on a kill. High Point once again tied it up but Bennett's kill put the Eagles at set point. Little's kill gave Winthrop their first set win in the match.
Set 4 | The Eagles took a 14-6 early lead in the fourth set via four kills by McCollum. High Point responded with five of the next six points to cut the deficit in half at 15-11 but Winthrop scored the next four points to go back up eight. The Eagles also led by eight at 22-14 after an ace by Matthews. Then a kill by McCollum put Winthrop at set point at 24-16 and three plays later Winthrop tied the match on McCollum's kill.
Set 5 | The fifth and final set was tied at five in the early going. High Point scored four of the next five points to break the tie and take a 9-6 lead. A mistake by the Panthers and a kill by McCollum cut the lead to one at 9-8 but High Point scored five of the next seven points to go up 14-11 and put them within a point of winning the match. After a kill by Bennett, High Point ended the match with a kill on the next play.
Top Performers
Notables
- The Eagles have played 1,828 matches all-time as the program holds a mark of 1,089-739
- Murray is seventh in school history in assists with 2,866
- McCollum and Matthews were named to the All-Tournament Team
- McCollum set a career-high in kills and total blocks
- Four Eagles had double figures in digs
- Four Eagles had more than three total blocks
- Winthrop moves to 36-30 all-time in the Big South Tournament
- This was Winthrop's 12th appearance all-time in the title match, with a record of 6-6
- The Eagles last won the conference tournament in 2019
UP NEXT
Winthrop awaits their postseason fate.
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