ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Ashley Stein and
Lindsay Walch had 11 kills each to lift the Furman volleyball team to a 3-1 (25-15, 25-20, 19-25, 25-18) victory over the UNC Asheville Bulldogs Saturday afternoon in the final match of the Bulldog Invitational at the Justice Center.
Furman improves to 4-2 on the season while UNC Asheville drops to 1-5 overall.
Walch propelled the Paladin offense on 11 kills and .381 hitting while Stein contributed her 11 kills to go with six digs and four service aces.
Quinn Morrissey dished out a game high 20 assists and
Emily Navarro turned in her third double-double of the season, and second this weekend, on 16 assists and 13 digs.
Amber Watson registered her first double-double after totaling career highs of 10 kills on .333 hitting and 10 digs. Defensively,
Kennedy Seekford led all players with 20 digs and
Kacie Moore had a career high seven assisted blocks.
Kylie Cackovic tallied a double-double for the Bulldogs on 13 kills and 12 digs. Selina Koc dished out 18 assists and Payton Rolfsen followed with 13. Michelle Thao had 18 digs.
Furman hit .261 in the opening set and held UNC Asheville to -.069 for the 25-15 victory. Stein finished with three kills and three assists while Navarro posted six assists. The teams traded the initial 18 points before the Paladins used an 8-3 run to extend their lead to 18-12 following Watson's kill. After UNCA answered with the next point, Furman closed out with seven of the final nine. A Bulldog attack error clinched the set for the Paladins.
The second set featured seven ties and five lead changes with UNC Asheville only hitting .057 as Furman took a 2-0 lead with a 25-20 triumph. Watson paced the Paladins with three kills, Morrissey compiled four assists, and Navarro added six digs and three assists. The first 26 points saw the score tied six times. With the score even at 13-13, Furman went on a 7-2 run to build out a 20-15 lead and went in front by five when Watson connected on a kill. The Paladins maintained their five-point advantage with another UNCA attack error securing the set.
The Bulldogs came back with a 25-19 win in the third set to cut Furman's lead to 2-1. The Paladins compiled a .229 hitting percentage but UNC Asheville countered with a .344 clip. Stein hit .333 and led Furman with five kills and Morrissey provided five assists. Seekford compiled four digs.
The Paladins never trailed throughout the fourth set en route to clinching the match with a 25-18 victory.
Tennyson Gorman led the way with five kills on .833 hitting while Walch did not commit an attack error and recorded four kills. Morrissey collected eight assists and five digs, and Seekford had 10 digs. Furman scored nine of the first 13 points to begin the set and took a five-point lead when Moore and Walch combined for a block. The Paladins led by as many as eight points late when a Bulldog attack error pushed their lead to 20-12. UNC Asheville staged a late rally and got to within 22-18 before Furman closed out the match with three straight points. Watson clinched the match with her kill.
The Paladins concluded the match hitting .200 and held a 50-43 advantage in kills, 46-38 in assists, and 65-58 in digs. Furman finished with a season high 12 blocks led by Moore's seven while Gorman and Walch both added five.
The Paladins are at Alley Gymnasium for the first time next week, September 11-13, hosting Alabama State, North Florida, and Winthrop in the Furman Invite.
