Statesboro, Ga. – Winthrop volleyball split a pair of matches vs. Western Carolina and Alabama State on day one of the Bash In The 'Boro Invitational Friday afternoon.
Winthrop (3-6, 0-0 Big South) | Western Carolina (5-6, 0-0 Southern) | Alabama State (3-9, 0-0 SWAC)
Sep. 20, 2024 | Hanner Fieldhouse
Winthrop 0, Western Carolina 3 (18-25, 21-25, 17-25) | Winthrop 3, Alabama State 0 (25-11, 25-18, 25-18)
How it Happened (Western Carolina)
Set 1 | The match started out tied at 5-5 after two kills each by
Isabella Murray and
Giselle Little and an error by WCU. The Catamounts scored the next two points only for the Eagles to score four straight to go ahead 9-7 after an ace by
Avery Jolley and a WCU mistake. WCU then scored four consecutive points themselves to go back up two at 11-9. The Catamounts continued their rally, eventually going up 17-10 after scoring six of the next seven points after their initial 11-9 edge. Two kills by
Karli Shepherd made it a six-point game at 18-12 and then down 20-13, the Eagles got two within five on two separate occasions, the last at 23-18 after a WCU error. But the Catamounts scored the next two points to take the set.
Set 2 | Trailing 1-0, three straight kills by Shepherd put Winthrop up by two. WCU responded by scoring eight of the next 11 points to go up 9-6. Kills by
Alyah Cadavid and
Sydney Nolan made it a one-point game but the Catamounts scored two straight to go back up three. On the next play a kill by
Jessica Cinci made the score 11-9 but a kill but WCU answered with four straight points. Two Catamounts errors and a kill by
Isabella Murray made it 16-12 only to watch WCU go up 19-13 a few plays later. Winthrop then attempted a late-set rally, this time cutting it to 20-17 on a kill each by Jolley, Cinci and Shepherd and another WCU error. The Catamounts scored the next two points but kills by Little and Nolan made it a three-point deficit once again at 22-19. The Catamounts answered with two consecutive points to leave them within one point of winning the set but the Eagles refused to go away quietly as two kills by Shepherd made it 24-21. WCU then doubled their lead in the match on the next play.
Set 3 | The third set began tied at nine, highlighted by three kills by Little. WCU broke the tie by tacking on six of the next eight points to go up 15-11. A kill by Jolley and two kills by Nolan cut the lead in half at 16-14 only to watch WCU score three consecutive points to extend their margin to five. The two teams then split the next six points, leaving the score at 22-17 and the Catamounts ended the match by scoring the next three points.
How it Happened (Alabama State)
Set 1 | Winthrop jumped out to a big 12-5 lead after three kills by Shepherd, two kills by Jolley, a kill each by Nolan and five Hornet errors. Alabama State scored four of the next five points to cut the lead to 13-9 only for kills by Shepherd, Little and Nolan and an ace by
Rachel McCollum to up the margin back to eight at 17-9. This 4-0 run slammed the door on any chance the Hornets had of getting back into the set and largely put the frame away. The Hornets only recorded two more points for the rest of the set. Winthrop would eventually lead 23-11 after two more Alabama State mistakes and an ace by Shepherd, two more kills by Shepherd, two kills by Jolley and an ace by Cadavid. Jolley's kill at set point put Winthrop ahead in the match 1-0.
Set 2 | The Eagles led 7-5 in the opening moments after four kills by Jolley, a kill by Little, an Alabama State error and an ace by Murray. The Hornets answered by taking a 9-8 lead only for Shepherd to tie it on a kill and on the next play an error by the Hornets put Winthrop up one. Alabama State tied it at 10-10 on the next play but a kill by Murray and another error against the Hornets gave the Eagles a two-point lead. The Eagles then scored six of the next nine points to go ahead 18-14. Jolley led the way offensively during the small rally with an ace and a kill. Alabama State cut it to two at 19-17 but an error and a kill by Shepherd took it back up to four. After an Alabama State kill, Winthrop finished off the Hornets in the set with kills by Little, Murray, Jolley and
Rylie McMahen's ace to clinch it.
Set 3 | Winthrop led 9-4 to start the third set on four errors by Alabama State, two kills by Shepherd, an ace by McCollum and a kill each by Little and Jolley. The hot start also included scoring the first five points of the stanza. Three of the next four points scored by Alabama State made it 10-7 Winthrop leading but the Eagles put Alabama State away for good by going on an 8-1 run on three kills by Shepherd, a kill by Little and four errors by the Hornets, putting the Eagles ahead 18-8. Alabama State then scored three straight points to briefly end the Eagle run but another Hornet error and a kill each by Murray, Little and Jolley and an ace by Murray eventually made the margin 23-14. After three straight points by Alabama State, Winthrop ended the day three plays later on Shepherd's kill.
Top Performers (Western Carolina)
Top Performers (Alabama State)
Notables
- The Eagles have played 1,811 matches all-time as the program holds a mark of 1,076-735.
- Murray is now eighth in school history in assists with 2,244 following the WCU match.
- She passes Jesse Vicic's 2,200 assists compiled from the 2013 and '14 seasons.
- Nolan made her season debut vs. Western Carolina, tacking on six kills on seven total attempts to go along with a block solo and a dig.
- Nolan hit .857 in the match vs. the Catamounts.
- Jolley notched a double double vs. Alabama State.
- Murray hit .800 in the match vs. the Hornets.
- The victory snaps a five-game losing skid.
UP NEXT
Winthrop squares off with host Georgia Southern tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. on ESPN+.
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