BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The Furman volleyball team recorded its third consecutive victory Tuesday evening with a 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-14) triumph over the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs at Paul Porter Arena.
Furman improves to 3-2 on the season while the Runnin' Bulldogs drop to 1-7 overall.
Ava Augustson and
Chandler Parker both led the Paladin offense with 11 kills apiece as Parker posted a .308 hitting percentage and Augustson .233.
Genevieve Perry contributed eight kills,
Mary Beth Headley seven, and
Lindsay Walch six.
Emily Navarro posted her second straight double-double on 22 assists and 15 digs. Defensively,
Kennedy Seekford registered a match high 22 digs and Perry totaled six blocks.
Cayton White finished with a match high 12 kills for Gardner-Webb. Sloane Rooney dished out 14 assists and Molly Littlefield tallied a team high 15 digs.
The opening set featured a total of 14 ties with the last coming at 19-19 late following a Furman attack error. The Paladins closed out the set scoring six of the final nine points including a 5-1 run. A Runnin' Bulldog service error put Furman at set point, 24-20, before Gardner-Webb reeled off back-to-back points. Perry secured the set for the Paladins with her kill.
Augustson and
Izzy Castelloe both had four kills during the second set while Headley and Perry each recorded three. Furman started on a 5-1 run before the Runnin' Bulldogs cut the lead down to 7-5 several plays later. The Paladins broke the set open with an 11-6 run and took their largest lead of 18-11 after a Gardner-Webb attack error. Perry later kept Furman's lead at seven points, 20-13, with her kill. The Runnin' Bulldogs answered with an 8-3 run of their own and made the score 21-19 late. The Paladins ended with four of the last five points to win, 25-20, capped by Perry's kill.
Furman limited Gardner-Webb to -.026 hitting in the third set after forcing nine attack errors. The Paladins secured seven of the initial nine points and held a 7-2 lead on a Runnin' Bulldog attack error. Gardner-Webb would get to within two points, 9-7, before being held to just seven points the remainder of the set. After the Runnin' Bulldogs trimmed Furman's lead to 15-12 midway, the Paladins ended the match on a 10-2 run. Furman compiled six straight points behind the serving of Seekford to go ahead, 22-12, when Headley and Perry combined for a block. Perry and Augustson later teamed up for a combination block to give the Paladins the 25-14 victory and complete the three-set sweep.
Furman hit .258 for the match and led 47-33 in kills, 44-32 in assists, and 64-58 in digs. The Paladins also held an 8.0-4.0 advantage in blocks.
Furman travels to Statesboro, Ga., this weekend to face Charleston Southern, North Carolina A&T, and Georgia Southern at the Eagle Invitational. Fans can follow the action on www.furmanpaladins.com via live stats. Saturday's match against Georgia Southern is being streamed via paid subscription on ESPN+. Updates will also be posted on the Furman volleyball Twitter page (@FurmanVB).
