Greenville, S.C. – The Furman volleyball team dropped a 3-1 (22-25, 25-16, 23-25, 13-15) decision in Southern Conference action to the East Tennessee State Buccaneers, Saturday afternoon from Alley Gymnasium.
Furman falls to 6-7 on the season and 1-2 in conference play, while East Tennessee State moves to 5-9 overall and 1-2 in the SoCon.
Bella Tolone paced the Paladins with her team-leading seventh double-double of the season, finishing with 15 kills and 12 digs.
Natalie Dunn contributed nine kills.
Sarah Turner and
Ella Abraham combined for 38 assists with Turner recording 22 and Abraham 16.
Andrea Aceveda registered 25 digs and
Maya Mrus 12.
Sarah Esposito led the Buccaneers offensively with 15 kills and Josannah Vazquez collected 12. Caroline Dykes posted a double-double of 28 assists and 10 digs. Taylor Roberts had 23 digs and Haley Sanders 10.
Vazquez gave ETSU an early 8-4 lead in the first set before Furman answered with seven consecutive points, highlighted by three straight service aces from
Sydney Tanner, to hold an 11-8 advantage. The Buccaneers later tied the score at 13-13 on a kill by Esposito. The Paladins took their largest lead of the set, 21-16, after going on an 8-3 run capped by Tanner's kill. East Tennessee State closed out the set on a 9-1 run and won 25-22.
Furman opened the second set on a 6-2 run with Tolone and
Chandler Parker recording two kills apiece. Parker's second kill extended the Paladins' lead to four. ETSU would cut the lead down to two, 9-7, but Furman responded by scoring four consecutive points. A combination block from Parker and
Kelsey Watkins gave the Paladins a 13-7 lead. Furman took its largest lead of the set at 22-12 late following an East Tennessee State attack error. The Paladins captured the set 25-16 after back-to-back ETSU attack errors.
The teams traded the first 12 points of the third set when
Natalie Dunn tied the score at 6-6 with her kill. The set featured a total of 10 ties with five coming in the initial 24 points. An attack error by the Buccaneers evened the score at 12-12. Furman scored six of the next nine points and led 18-15 when Tolone and Tanner combined for a block. East Tennessee State rallied with a 7-1 run and held a 22-19 lead when Dykes connected on a kill. The Paladins responded by scoring the next four points and went in front 23-22 following Turner's kill. ETSU scored the final three points for the 25-23 victory.
The Buccaneers recorded the first four points of the fourth set and led 5-1 after a kill from Esposito. Furman came back with four of the next six points and trailed 7-5 on Tolone's kill. ETSU broke the set open courtesy of a 13-4 run to go in front 20-9. A combination block from Esposito and Lundyn Coffman gave East Tennessee State the 25-13 set win and 3-1 match victory.
The Paladins concluded the match hitting .113 as a team and held a 68-65 advantage in digs. Furman finished with 10 total blocks led by two solo and five assisted from Watkins.
The Paladins remain in SoCon play on Wednesday traveling to Charleston for a 6 p.m. matchup at The Citadel.
