CHARLESTON, S.C. -- The Winthrop University volleyball team defeated Charleston Southern 3-1 on Saturday, taking the season series and going 2-0 on the conference weekend. The Eagles got it done in four sets behind 47 assists and 11 digs from
Lexi Thatcher, 24 digs and three service aces from
Addison Torain, and 16 kills on .412 hitting from
Reece Rhoads.
Torain reached the 300-dig milestone, totaling 24 in the match. Rhoads tied career-high with 16 kills, and
Paige Bennett recorded 14 kills and 12 digs while surpassing 300 kills during the season, reaching 305. Bennett has recorded at least 14 kills in nine consecutive matches.
TOP PERFORMERS
Kills - Rhoads (16), Bennett (14), Little (13) Â
Aces - Torain (3),Â
Alyah Cadavid (2), Bennett (1)
Blocks - Little (3),Â
Teagan Sychterz (3) Bennett (2)
Assists - Thatcher (47), Torain (7), Rhoads (2)
Digs - Torain (24), Bennett (12),Â
Lindsay Langner (12)
SET 1
- Winthrop moved ahead 9-6 during a three-point stretch on Alyah Cadavid's serve, with KeAra Bowen and Bennett adding kills, and later held a 12-8 edge.
- The Bucs answered with five of the next six points, including three kills, to move in front 13-12 before a service error tied the set at 13-13.
- After a Rhoads kill tied it at 14-14, Torain served four straight Winthrop points, including an ace, to push the Eagles ahead 18-14.
- CSU tied the set at 18-18, and after Winthrop pulled even again at 20-20, the Buccaneers won five of the final six points to take the set 25-21.
SET 2
- Charleston Southern scored the first two points, but Winthrop answered with a Bowen kill and a combined block from Bennett and Teagan Sychterz to tie it at 2-2 before moving ahead 6-4 on a Thatcher kill.
- CSU came back to tie the set at 6-6 and 8-8, but Little and Rhoads helped Winthrop rebuild a 12-9 edge, and Cadavid followed with consecutive aces for a 15-11 lead.
- Winthrop reached 21-16 on a Thatcher kill from Rhoads, then held off a Buccaneer push that cut the score to 23-21; Bennett closed the set 25-22 with a kill from Thatcher.
SET 3
- Charleston Southern moved ahead 5-1 early and later led 10-6 before Winthrop pulled even at 11-11 on a Bennett kill.
- After CSU went back in front 13-11, Winthrop answered with a 6-1 stretch that included kills from Bennett and Laila Glover and blocks involving Little and Thatcher to move ahead 17-14.
- Winthrop stayed in front through the late points, and Little delivered consecutive kills from Thatcher to give the Eagles set point at 24-22 and finish the set, 25-22.
SET 4
- After Charleston Southern moved ahead 5-4, Little tied the set with a kill and Torain served Winthrop through nine straight points, completing a 10-0 run that included two aces and kills from Rhoads, Thatcher and Sychterz.
- The Buccaneers cut into the margin to 14-8 and later pulled within 17-14 before Winthrop answered with kills from Bennett and Little, plus a Lindsay Langner ace, to move ahead 21-14.
- Bennett added another kill and a service ace late, and the Eagles finished the set 25-17 on a Sychterz kill from Thatcher.
NEXT UP
The Eagles stay on the road, traveling to Spartanburg, S.C., to face USC Upstate on Friday, Oct. 30, at 6 p.m.
