University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics

Tuesday, August 30
Asheville, NC
6 pm

UNC Asheville

1-3,0-0Big South

0
vs
3

Western Carolina

3-1,0-0SoCon

1
2
3
F
Western Caro.
25
25
25
3
UNC Asheville
22
17
19
0
vb team

Bulldogs fall in three sets to Western Carolina

08.30.2022 | Women's Volleyball

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Asheville volleyball team fell in three sets to Western Carolina (25-22, 25-17, 25-19) Tuesday evening at the Justice Center in non-conference action.

Stat Standouts – Senior Lexy Cole was the Bulldogs' leading point scorer on Tuesday totaling a team-high seven kills (.417 hitting percentage) to go with four block assists. Avery Loeback matched Cole's seven kills as she made her first career start, while fellow freshman Lindsay Springer nearly had a double-double with 10 assists and eight digs. Libero Giulia Rodrigues had a stellar night anchoring Asheville's defense with 15 digs in the three-set contest.

First Set – The first set of the night was a competitive one. Western Carolina appeared to seize the momentum following one of the seven kills from Bailey Hartsough in the first frame made the score 14-13 Catamounts. Asheville was able to remain within a few points of WCU, but the latter was able to grow its lead to as many as six points, 22-16. The Bulldogs clawed back to get the deficit back down to two as late as 23-21. However, Western Carolina collected kills on two of the next three points to finish off the stanza, 25-22.

Second Set – In the most lopsided set of the match, Western Carolina got things rolling offensively hitting a match-best .325 on 40 attacks with 17 kills. Asheville, meanwhile, got solid production with four different players picking up two or more kills in the frame. However, the hot-hitting Catamounts proved too much to overcome as they took a 2-0 lead, 25-17.

Third Set – In what proved to be the final set of Tuesday's contest, the Bulldogs battled the Catamounts well early. Overall, there were 17 tied scores and 11 lead changes in the third set alone. Asheville looked like it may extend the match to a fourth set after a Kat Cruser kill made it 19-18 Bulldogs. Western Carolina, however, rattled off a 7-0 run to close out the match, 25-19.

Next up – Asheville, now 1-3 on the season, will be back in action on Wednesday when it welcomes Lees-McRae to the Justice Center for another non-conference tilt. First serve between the Bulldogs and Bobcats is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN+.
 

Team Stats

WCU
UNC-A
Kills
49
31
Errors
17
16
Attempts
119
105
Hitting %
.269
.143
Points
58
41
Assists
47
30
Aces
2
3
Blocks
7
7

Game Leaders

Kills
7
Aces
1
Blocks
4
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
6
Aces
1
Blocks
4
Kills
3
Aces
0
Blocks
1

Players Mentioned

MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
RS
/ Women's Volleyball
DS
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
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