GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Furman volleyball team snapped its three-match losing streak Saturday afternoon with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-19, 25-18) sweep of the Western Carolina Catamounts in Southern Conference action from Alley Gymnasium.

Furman improves to 14-6 overall and 5-3 in the SoCon. With the loss, Western Carolina drops to 6-13 on the season and 2-6 in league play.

The Paladins used a balanced offensive attack to improve to 7-2 at home this season. A total of five players registered six or more kills led by Lindsay Walch's match high 10 while adding four assists, four digs, three service aces, and three assisted blocks. Tennyson Gorman added nine kills and four blocks, Ashtan Dodson eight, Kacie Moore seven, and Ashley Stein six. Stein led Furman defensively with a career high 24 digs. Emily Navarro added 27 assists, eight digs, and three service aces.

Abbie Willis paced the Catamount offense with 10 kills and Eda Yalcinkaya contributed 12 digs. Katie Boney compiled a double-double of 29 assists and 10 digs.

Despite being out-hit .317-.217 in the opening set, the Paladins had two more kills and benefitted from three service aces and three Western Carolina service errors leading to a 25-21 victory. Walch recorded four kills on .571 hitting, Navarro dished out eight assists, and Stein totaled eight digs. Furman started on an 8-3 run, capped by back-to-back service aces from Walch, before the Catamounts cut their deficit down to 13-11. The Paladins followed by scoring four of the next five points and led 17-12 when Navarro and Gorman combined for a block. Western Carolina would get within two points late before kills by Gorman and Navarro claimed the set for Furman.

Six different players had a kill in the second set with the Paladins compiling a .282 hitting percentage and limiting the Catamounts to .089. Three players registered three kills with Navarro adding eight assists and Stein nine digs. Furman never trailed in the frame and held a 15-7 advantage heading into the media timeout on Navarro's service ace. Western Carolina used a 7-3 run midway to cut the Paladins' lead to 18-14. Furman closed out scoring seven of the final 12 points and secured the 25-19 victory following a Catamount attack error.

The Paladins added a .267 hitting performance during the third set led by four kills each from Dodson and Gorman. Navarro collected 11 assists and Stein seven digs. Western Carolina held an early 4-3 lead before Furman answered with a 10-4 run and led 13-8 heading into the media timeout after a Catamount attack error. Following the timeout, the Paladins scored six of the next nine points and took their largest lead at 19-11 when Walch connected on a kill. Western Carolina rallied late and trailed 21-18. Furman recorded the final four points and picked up the set, and match, off a kill from Walch.

The Paladins concluded the contest hitting .254 overall and led 47-34 in kills, 45-32 in assists, and 65-57 in digs.

Furman travels to Samford next Thursday, October 23 to face the Bulldogs at 7:30 p.m. EST. The Paladins then return to Alley Gymnasium on Saturday, October 25 to host UNC Greensboro at 7 p.m.

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