Box Score Johnson City, Tenn. – Behind solid play from its outside hitters, Furman volleyball downed ETSU, 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-23), on Wednesday night in Johnson City, Tenn. The win moves Furman to 15-6 on the year and 9-2 in SoCon play, while the loss drops ETSU to 15-9 on the year and 6-5 in SoCon play.
Furman was led by Annie Bierman with 14 kills and 15 digs for her 14th double-double of the season, while Jamila Johnson put down a career-high 12 kills, hitting .320 and adding two blocks. Jo Wilks dished out 41 assists and needs just five to set the school record. Furman out-hit ETSU .238-.152 and put down 49 kills to the Bucs' 33.
The teams traded points early in the first set, until a solo block by Annie Bierman gave Furman a two-point lead at 8-6. The teams then traded points until ETSU tied the set at 10, but three-straight Furman points capped off by a solo block by Taina Joseph gave the Paladins a 13-10 lead and forced the Bucs to call their first timeout. Out of the timeout, the teams continued to trade points until back-to-back kills by Christen Sikora and Jamila Johnson pushed Furman's lead to four at 21-17 and forced ETSU's final timeout of the set. The Paladins closed out the set on a 4-1 run to take it, 25-18, for a 1-0 match lead.
It was ETSU that jumped out to a two-point lead in the second set at 4-2. The Paladins rallied to tie the set at four, and the teams traded points until five-straight gave the Bucs a four-point lead at 11-7, forcing Furman to call a timeout. Out of the timeout, the Paladins cut the lead to two at 11-9, before ETSU pushed the lead back to four at 13-9. Amelia Bohlander then served Furman on a 5-0 run to take a 14-13 lead and force ETSU to take a timeout. Out of the timeout, Furman pushed its lead to three at 16-13, but ETSU used a 4-1 run to tie the set at 17. The teams again traded points until Meg DeMaar served Furman on a 3-0 run to take a 21-19 lead. ETSU cut the lead to one at 20-19, then again at 22-21, but a massive kill by Johnson forced a Buccaneers timeout after Furman grabbed a 23-21 lead. Out of the timeout, the Paladins held off an ETSU rally and a kill by Bierman gave Furman the 25-22 set victory and 2-0 match lead.
ETSU again jumped out to an early lead in the third set, this time at 4-1. The Bucs pushed the lead to four at 7-3, but Sikora served Furman on a 4-0 run to tie the set at seven. The teams then traded points until ETSU used a kill and a block to regain a two-point lead at 13-11, then again at 14-12. Furman cut the lead one on at 14-13, then used three-straight points to grab a 16-15 lead and force an ETSU timeout. Out of the timeout, the Bucs tied the set at 17, but Furman used back-to-back kills by Bierman to take a 19-17 lead, prompting ETSU to call its final timeout of the set. The Bucs rallied to tie the set at 19 and the teams traded points until a block by Johnson gave Furman a 23-21 lead. ETSU again tied the set, this time at 23, forcing a Furman timeout. Out of the timeout, Furman used a kill by Sikora and an ETSU attack error to take the set, 25-23, and the match, 3-0.
Furman is back in action on Saturday, as it plays host to Western Carolina in a 3:00 pm match in Alley Gym.
