GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Furman volleyball team turned in its second consecutive three-set sweep Tuesday evening with a 3-0 (25-20, 27-25, 25-14) victory over The Citadel Bulldogs in Southern Conference action at Timmons Arena.
The win improves Furman to 11-12 on the season and 5-7 in SoCon play. The Citadel drops to 4-20 overall and 1-11 in the conference.
Izzy Castelloe led the Paladin offense with eight kills while three others totaled six in
Morgan Baldridge,
Lauren Haynes, and
Ashley Stein. Baldridge dished out 25 assists and
Kennedy Seekford led all players with 16 digs.
Luci Lippelgoos had a match high 10 kills for the Bulldogs and Jess Martin recorded 15 digs. Allie Davidson (17) and Greta Pleuss (13) combined for 30 assists.
Furman came from behind in the opening set for the 25-20 win. The Paladins totaled a .278 hitting clip with Castelloe and
Amber Watson both posting four kills, Baldridge nine assists, and Seekford six digs. The Citadel reeled off the first four points and would hold an 11-9 lead when the Paladins answered with a 6-1 run heading into the media timeout. Furman built its lead out to 18-14 after the break following
Kacie Moore's kill. The Bulldogs got to within two points, 20-18, late but the Paladins ended the set scoring five of the final seven points. Castelloe clinched the frame with her kill.
The second set featured 17 ties and nine lead changes as Furman held on for the 27-25 triumph. Castelloe tallied three kills, Baldridge nine assists and three kills, Stein five digs and three kills, and Seekford five digs. The Paladins limited The Citadel to -.020 hitting for the set. Furman trailed early before taking a 12-9 advantage, leading to a Bulldog timeout, when Baldridge and
Tennyson Gorman teamed up for a block. The score would be tied 10 times after that when Castelloe put the Paladins in front, 23-22, with her kill. The Citadel picked up the next two points and both teams followed trading the next three points. Furman secured the set on a Baldridge kill and Bulldog attack error.
The Paladins captured the match with a 25-14 victory in the third set. Furman hit .435 while The Citadel was held to .067 overall. Haynes led the team with four kills on .571 hitting, Baldridge seven assists, and Seekford five digs. Leading 9-7 early in the frame, the Paladins broke the set open with a 10-5 run and held a 19-12 lead after a bad set coming out of a Bulldog timeout. Furman scored five straight points during the run with Gorman picking up a kill and assisted block. The Paladins closed out the frame recording the last six points to complete the sweep. Haynes collected two kills and Baldridge contributed a kill and assisted block. Furman clinched on an attack error by The Citadel.
The Paladins concluded the contest hitting .209 and held the Bulldogs to .092, the lowest by an opponent this season. Furman held a 38-33 advantage in kills, 34-31 in assists, and 54-50 in digs. Eight different players registered a block, led by Gorman's five, as the Paladins finished with 10 for the match.
Furman remains at Timmons Arena this weekend, October 30-31, to host UNC Greensboro in a pair of SoCon matches.
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