University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
6-2,0-0Big South
Charlotte
3-8,0-0AAC
Asheville Downs Charlotte in Five Set Battle for Sixth Straight Victory
09.17.2024 | Women's Volleyball
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Grit and determination are two terms that have not been undetectable surrounding the UNC Asheville volleyball program this season, and both of those words could be seen in full force Tuesday evening as the Bulldogs (6-2) pulled out a 3-2 hard-fought victory over Charlotte (3-8) on the road.
Tuesday's win over Charlotte marks the first time Asheville has defeated the Niners since 1997 and is the program's best start since the Bulldogs went 7-2 to begin the 2009 season.
IN THE BOX
The Bulldogs combined for 13 service aces, the most aces in a five-set match in program history. Payton Rolfsen led the team with six aces, which ties for most aces by a player in a five-set match in program history.
Rolfsen recorded a double-double with 36 assists and 14 digs to accompany her six aces.
Albertine van der Goot led the Bulldogs with 16 kills and a .406 hitting percentage. On defense, van der Goot led the team with three solo blocks.
🧱 wALl#ALLinAVL pic.twitter.com/4LEOidTn9R
— UNC Asheville Volleyball (@uncavlvb) September 18, 2024
Kylie Cackovic recorded a double-double with 14 kills and 17 digs and added two solo blocks to her stat line.
Matilde Teixeira had 13 kills and two aces, and Michelle Thao had 17 digs and three aces.
The Bulldogs combined for a .205 match hitting percentage compared to Charlotte's .137. Asheville recorded a .462 hitting percentage in the fourth set to help the Bulldogs survive to a fifth-set victory.
ON THE COURT
Set One (20-25) - A kill from Cackovic and an ace from Thao helped Asheville out to an early 4-2 lead to kickoff Tuesday's match. A kill from Teixeira helped the Bulldogs move ahead by three, but the Niners responded with the next three points to tie the set at six. Charlotte would then go on a 5-0 run to jump ahead 12-8. Asheville followed with the next four points to even the score at 12. Rolfsen rounded out Asheville's run with two aces. There would be four more ties before Charlotte retook the lead with a 6-0 run (22-16). The Bulldogs looked to make a comeback by scoring the following four points, but the Niners closed the opening frame on a 3-0 run to take an early match lead.
Set Two (26-24) - It was a game of runs in the second frame, as both teams found themselves on scoring streaks several times throughout the set. Charlotte had the momentum first, as the 49ers jumped to a 9-5 lead with a 6-2 run. With the Niners ahead by four, Asheville went on a 6-0 run to take the lead 15-13. Teixeira recorded two aces, Cackovic had a kill, and van der Goot had a block as part of Asheville's run. The Bulldogs would extend their lead by four with back-to-back kills from Loeback and Teixeira before Charlotte answered with a 5-1 run to tie the set at 20. It was back-and-forth in the waning points of the set, as the two teams were in a deadlock four separate times. The Niners took set point following a Bulldog attack error, but a kill from van der Goot would tie the set at 24 before a Niner attack error and an ace from Thao would help Asheville to a second-set victory.
A service ace from Michelle Thao helps us even the set score 1-1 with a 26-24 victory!
— UNC Asheville Volleyball (@uncavlvb) September 17, 2024
Thao's ace is her 16th of the season. #ALLinAVL pic.twitter.com/2Hm6uweziY
Set Three (23-25) – Asheville carried momentum to the third set, as the Bulldogs took a quick 6-2 lead. An ace from Rolfsen would help the Bulldogs to their largest lead of the set (13-6) before Charlotte responded with a 7-2 run to cut Asheville's lead down to two (15-13). A kill from van der Goot helped extend Asheville's lead by one, but that was not enough as Charlotte answered with the following five points to take the lead for the remainder of the set. The Bulldogs were able to tie the score at 23, but Charlotte responded with the final two points to take a 2-1 match lead.
Set Four (25-17) – With their backs against the wall, the Bulldogs did not falter under pressure. Trailing 8-7, Kimberly Czepukaitis and Teixeira recorded back-to-back kills to help Asheville in the lead. The Niners would tie the score at nine, but that would be as close as the score would get for the rest of the set as the Bulldogs went on to jump out to a seven-point lead and never looked back as the Bulldogs cruised to victory to send the match into a deciding set.
Set Five (15-7) – Asheville's momentum carried over to the final frame, and the Bulldogs did not let off the gas. Locked at six, Asheville closed the set on a 9-1 run. Charlotte's lone point of the run came when Asheville was at match point off a service error. Asheville's run was sparked by a kill from Teixeira, an ace from Rolfsen, and a kill and block from van der Goot. Van der Goot earned the match-winning kill to help tie her career-high in kills for the second time this season.
UP NEXT
Asheville returns to the court on Friday, Sept. 27, as the Bulldogs open Big South Conference play and the Ingles I-26 Rivalry at USC Upstate. Match time is scheduled for 6 p.m.
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