ROCK HILL, S.C. -- For the 19th straight contest, the Winthrop University Volleyball team defeated Gardner-Webb in a five-set thriller, 3-2, on Friday night to kick off Big South Conference Play. 

Avery Jolley led the way with 20 kills with Giselle Little setting a new program record in hitting percentage in a five-set match with a .647 clip, as Laila Glover collected her 500th career kill and then some. 

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Top Performers 

Kills - Avery Jolley (20), Giselle Little (13), Laila Glover (9) 
Aces - Isabella Murray (2), Rachel McCollum (2), Alyah Cadavid (2) 
Blocks - Teagan Sychterz (3), Rachel McCollum (2), Giselle Little (2) 
Assists - Rachel McCollum (26), Isabella Murray (18), Sophia Matthews (13) 
Digs - Isabella Murray (25), Sophia Matthews (23), Avery Jolley (18) 

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Game Recap 
Set 1 

• The Runnin' Bulldogs jumped out to a 6-1 lead thanks to four Eagle attack errors in the run 
• Winthrop steadied with aces from Alyah Cadavid and Isabella Murray plus a Laila Glover 
• Avery Jolley sparked a late push with four kills in seven rallies to pull within 18–18 
• GWU closed on points from Samia Sayd and blocks by the Runnin' Bulldogs, 25-22 

Set 2 

• Rachel McCollum opened with a service ace and set to Avery Jolley for an early 3–0 cushion 
• Service pressure from the Eagles helped flip the set, with Teagan Sychterz, Isabella Murray and Addison Torain all collecting aces 
• Trabrece Marbley produced four kills in the middle of the frame to stretch the lead to 21-1 
• Torain's ace and a block by Giselle Little forced set point with Avery Jolley finishing it on a kill, 25-12 

Set 3 

• Gardner-Webb opened 5–0, but Winthrop flipped momentum during a Sophia Matthews serving run that included an ace and a string of kills 
• Avery Jolley and Giselle Little combined for three kills in four rallies to make it 14-10 
• Rachel McCollum added a service ace to cap a 10–1 stretch, sitting at 19-10 
• Giselle Little put it away on set point to take the set, 25-17 

Set 4 

• Winthrop edged ahead 4-1 with Laila Glover and Teagan Sychterz scoring early 
• GWU answered behind Milla Lugo and Sayd at the net, flipping it to 10–6 and never trailing again 
• Sophia Matthews and Alyah Cadavid landed service aces to try to stem the run, seeing Winthrop sit behind by one point at 16-15 
• Some late Lugo production closed it out for the Runnin' Bulldogs, 25-16 

Set 5 

• It was a back-and-forth set to 8-8, Winthrop earned key points on a Rachel McCollum and Teagan Sychterz stuff and Rachel McCollum and Giselle Little block involvement 
• Giselle Little and Laila Glover scored on quicks sets and pins to edge in front, 12-9 
• Avery Jolley delivered down the closing stretch, tallying the final three kills for a 15-12 set victory and a 3-2 win 

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NEXT UP 
The Eagles get their bye, not playing again until next Friday, taking on the team Winthrop was tied with in the Big South preseason polls, High Point, at 6:00 p.m. in North Carolina. 

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