University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
7-3,1-1Big South
High Point
12-5,4-0Big South
Early Set Win Not Enough as Bulldogs Fall in Four to High Point
10.12.2024 | Women's Volleyball
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The UNC Asheville volleyball team was back in action in the G.B. Hodge Center on Saturday to face High Point University and fell to the Panthers in four sets.
In the opening frame, High Point jumped out to an 11-6 lead before the Bulldogs rallied back with a 6-0 run to take the lead 12-11. The two teams would go back and forth as there went on to be 11 ties in the opening frame. With the Panthers leading 25-24, a kill from Kylie Cackovic would even the score before a block from Lydia Pate and Albertine van der Goot and an ace from Michelle Thao would help the Bulldogs secure a 27-25 opening frame victory.
Asheville's momentum carried over to the second frame, as the Bulldogs opened the set on a 5-0 run and extended their lead to eight (11-3). High Point began chipping away at Asheville's lead as the Panthers made it a one-point set following an 8-1 run. A kill from Payton Rolfsen helped Asheville retake a 2-point lead before the Panthers went on a 6-0 run to take the lead 17-13. The Bulldogs brought the score back within two following a kill from Cackovic, but the Panthers went on to win the second set 25-20.
In the third frame, High Point opened the set 6-2 before taking a 10-point lead following a 6-0 run (16-6). Trailing by 11, the Bulldogs went on a 4-0 run, starting with a kill from Cackovic, two kills from Matilde Teixeira, and an ace from Cackovic to make the score 23-16, but that was as close as the Bulldogs would get, as High Point went on to win the third frame 25-18.
High Point kept its momentum going into the final frame, as the Panthers opened the set with an 8-3 run. The Bulldogs brought the score within two, but a 6-1 run by High Point helped the Panthers extend their lead back out, and the Bulldogs could not make up the distance.
Teixeira led the team with 15 kills, adding on nine digs. Cackovic followed with 12 kills and recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 13 digs. She also led the team with two aces. Michelle Thao had 22 digs, Rolfsen had 22 assists, and Kat Davis had 10 assists and eight digs. Kimberly Czpepukaitis led the team with a solo block and four block assists.
With Saturday's loss, the Bulldogs fall to 7-3 and 1-1 in the Big South. Asheville is back in action next week, as the Bulldogs travel to Presbyterian for a 6 p.m. contest on Friday, Oct. 18, and Charleston Southern on Saturday, Oct. 19, for a 1 p.m. match.
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About Women's Athletics Presenting Partner First Bank
First Bank is the banking subsidiary of First Bancorp and is headquartered in Southern Pines, North Carolina, with total assets of approximately $12.4 billion. As a state-chartered community bank, First Bank operates 118 bank branches in North Carolina and South Carolina. Since 1935, First Bank has taken a tailored approach to banking, combining best-in-class financial solutions, helpful local expertise, and technology to manage a home or business. First Bancorp's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "FBNC." Visit our website at www.LocalFirstBank.com. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender.
