University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Thursday, March 11
Asheville, N.C.
4 p.m.
UNC Asheville
5-5,5-5Big South
3
vs
2
Radford
3-6,3-6Big South
1
2
3
4
5
F
Radford
25
16
25
12
13
2
UNC Asheville
19
25
21
25
15
3
Photo by: Mark Godin
Bulldogs Rally to Knock Off Radford in Five
03.11.2021 | Women's Volleyball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Asheville volleyball team rallied after dropping two of the first three sets to defeat Radford in five sets (19-25, 25-16, 21-25, 25-12, 15-13) Thursday evening at the Justice Center. The victory is the Bulldogs' first at home this season and improved their record to 5-6 on the 2020-21 spring campaign.
Stat Standouts – Junior Peyton McClinton once again led the Bulldogs on the stat sheet setting a new career-high with 25 kills. McClinton, who also added 10 digs, attacked at a .488 clip on 43 attacks in the match. The 25 kills from McClinton are the most in any match from a Bulldog since November 16, 2018, when Cara Guthrie picked up 25 as well against USC Upstate. Furthermore, the 25-kill effort from McClinton was one shy of tying the school record for kills in a five-set match during the 25-point rally-scoring era (since 2008), narrowly missing the 26-kill outing by Christine Lakatos at Presbyterian on November 8, 2013.
Lexy Cole (11.5 points) also finished Thursday's match scoring double figures, and Kat Cruser logged 10 kills in her first extended playing time with the Bulldogs. Defensively, Kasey West picked up a team-high 13 digs, while Cole led the way up front with one solo block to go with five block assists.
Set 1 – Both teams had turns with the lead in the opening set Thursday. Radford led by four at 18-14, forcing Asheville to take a timeout. Following back-to-back kills by the Bulldogs coming out of the timeout, the Highlanders took a chance to stop play as well. The difference down the stretch, though, was Radford picking up three aces after its called timeout to grow its lead before ultimately taking the frame, 25-19.
Set 2 – The Bulldogs answered with a better effort in the second frame. Collectively, Asheville attacked at a .312 clip in the second and held the Highlander offense to a .184 hitting percentage. Cole led the way with five kills, McClinton added four, and Cruser picked up three. With the multiple Bulldog attackers finding success, Asheville went on to take the second frame, 25-16.
Set 3 – With the match tied at a set apiece, Radford jumped on the Bulldogs early in the third, scoring nine of the first 11 points. So for the remainder of the third, Asheville was forced to play catch up. The Bulldogs were able to cut the Highlander lead down to one after a solo block from Grace Volk. However, Radford scored six of the next nine points to take the stanza, 25-21, to regain the lead in the match overall.
Set 4 – Facing the prospect of falling to Radford, the Bulldogs put together their most complete effort in the fourth. Asheville logged a team hitting percentage of .320 with 12 kills, added a pair of aces, and logged three blocks. Radford did not have many answers for the Bulldogs' well-rounded play as Asheville went on to win the fourth, 25-12, forcing a fifth set to decide the match.
Set 5 – The match-deciding set was the tightest of the five. The score was tied at 10 different points, and the lead changed hands three times. The last tie occurred at 10-10, but the Bulldogs found a way to score five of the next eight points to finish their first victory at home this season, 15-13.
Note from Coach – "It was a fantastic match. Huge momentum swings on both sides, and in the end, it was a battle of wits to see who would take it, and we did," said Head Coach Frederico Santos.
Also, Thursday's match marked the first time this season that the parents of the Bulldogs were able to attend a match in person.
"We also want to thank our parents who came to the match for the first time this year, and I am happy the girls could gift them with a win," Santos added.
Next Up – Asheville and Radford will match up again on Friday. Friday's match is scheduled for 3 p.m. and can be watched on ESPN+.
Stat Standouts – Junior Peyton McClinton once again led the Bulldogs on the stat sheet setting a new career-high with 25 kills. McClinton, who also added 10 digs, attacked at a .488 clip on 43 attacks in the match. The 25 kills from McClinton are the most in any match from a Bulldog since November 16, 2018, when Cara Guthrie picked up 25 as well against USC Upstate. Furthermore, the 25-kill effort from McClinton was one shy of tying the school record for kills in a five-set match during the 25-point rally-scoring era (since 2008), narrowly missing the 26-kill outing by Christine Lakatos at Presbyterian on November 8, 2013.
Lexy Cole (11.5 points) also finished Thursday's match scoring double figures, and Kat Cruser logged 10 kills in her first extended playing time with the Bulldogs. Defensively, Kasey West picked up a team-high 13 digs, while Cole led the way up front with one solo block to go with five block assists.
Set 1 – Both teams had turns with the lead in the opening set Thursday. Radford led by four at 18-14, forcing Asheville to take a timeout. Following back-to-back kills by the Bulldogs coming out of the timeout, the Highlanders took a chance to stop play as well. The difference down the stretch, though, was Radford picking up three aces after its called timeout to grow its lead before ultimately taking the frame, 25-19.
Set 2 – The Bulldogs answered with a better effort in the second frame. Collectively, Asheville attacked at a .312 clip in the second and held the Highlander offense to a .184 hitting percentage. Cole led the way with five kills, McClinton added four, and Cruser picked up three. With the multiple Bulldog attackers finding success, Asheville went on to take the second frame, 25-16.
Set 3 – With the match tied at a set apiece, Radford jumped on the Bulldogs early in the third, scoring nine of the first 11 points. So for the remainder of the third, Asheville was forced to play catch up. The Bulldogs were able to cut the Highlander lead down to one after a solo block from Grace Volk. However, Radford scored six of the next nine points to take the stanza, 25-21, to regain the lead in the match overall.
Set 4 – Facing the prospect of falling to Radford, the Bulldogs put together their most complete effort in the fourth. Asheville logged a team hitting percentage of .320 with 12 kills, added a pair of aces, and logged three blocks. Radford did not have many answers for the Bulldogs' well-rounded play as Asheville went on to win the fourth, 25-12, forcing a fifth set to decide the match.
Set 5 – The match-deciding set was the tightest of the five. The score was tied at 10 different points, and the lead changed hands three times. The last tie occurred at 10-10, but the Bulldogs found a way to score five of the next eight points to finish their first victory at home this season, 15-13.
Note from Coach – "It was a fantastic match. Huge momentum swings on both sides, and in the end, it was a battle of wits to see who would take it, and we did," said Head Coach Frederico Santos.
Also, Thursday's match marked the first time this season that the parents of the Bulldogs were able to attend a match in person.
"We also want to thank our parents who came to the match for the first time this year, and I am happy the girls could gift them with a win," Santos added.
Next Up – Asheville and Radford will match up again on Friday. Friday's match is scheduled for 3 p.m. and can be watched on ESPN+.
Team Stats
Rad
UNC-A
Kills
51
59
Errors
24
26
Attempts
164
155
Hitting %
.165
.213
Points
68
74
Assists
47
52
Aces
8
5
Blocks
9
10
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
25
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
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