University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
0-1,0-0Big South
Alabama
1-0,0-0SEC
Asheville Drops Friday Matches in Tuscaloosa
08.29.2025 | Women's Volleyball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The UNC Asheville volleyball team opened its 2025 season on Friday (Aug. 29) and fell in three sets to Alabama and UAB.
MATCH vs. ALABAMA
In the first match of the season, Asheville battled Alabama to three close sets, but the Bulldogs fell 20-25, 24-26, and 20-25. The opening frame went back and forth as there were six ties and three lead changes. Asheville took the lead to open the set with a solo block from Baylor Herlehy, putting the Bulldogs ahead 2-0. The Crimson Tide moved into the lead and led until a 5-0 run from Asheville put the Bulldogs ahead 14-12. A kill from Kylie Cackovic put Asheville ahead by two. A 3-0 run put Alabama back in front, and the Tide did not allow Asheville back into the lead for the rest of the set.
The Bulldogs came out hot in the second set, as Asheville took a 6-2 lead, forcing an Alabama timeout. Out of the break, Asheville extended its lead 8-2 following a block from Avery Loeback and Lydia Pate and an ace from Payton Rolfsen. Rolfsen led the match with three aces. Asheville extended its lead out to nine and led 20-12 before Alabama went on a 5-0 run to trail by three. The Tide made it a one-point game before a kill from Ana Djurovic extended Asheville out 22-20. Alabama went on to tie the set at 22. Albertine van der Goot put Asheville back out in front with a kill before the Tide scored the following two points to move ahead. Asheville tied the score at 24 before Alabama finished the set by scoring the final two points.
In the final frame, Alabama jumped to an 8-1 lead and never allowed the Bulldogs to advance. The Bulldogs bounced back and went on a 5-0 run to tie the score at 15 and then again at 18, but Alabama closed the match on a 7-2 run to win in three.
Cackovic led Asheville with eight kills, adding six digs and an ace to her stat line. Herlehy followed with six kills, a block, and led the team with a .357 hitting percentage. Selina Koç led the team with nine assists, adding six digs, and Rolfsen had six assists and four digs to go along with her three aces. Michelle Thao led the defense with eight digs.
MATCH vs. UAB
It was another hard-fought three-set match with the Bulldogs falling 20-25, 17-25, and 27-29. Freshman Addie Brookbank got Asheville on the board with a kill to tie the score 1-1 in the first set, but UAB moved back in the lead following an Asheville error, and the Blazers remained ahead for the rest of the set.
In the second set, van der Goot got Asheville on the board with a kill to start the frame off before UAB responded with a 4-0 run. The Blazers once again led for the remainder of the set to take a 2-0 match lead.
Looking to avoid a three-set sweep, Asheville opened the third frame 5-3. Asheville's first two points of the set came from blocks by Herlehy and van der Goot and Herlehy and Cackovic. Asheville remained in the lead, earning its largest lead of the set at seven points, following an ace from Koç (15-8), before UAB went on a 5-0 run to make it a two-point game (18-16). The Blazers went on to tie the score at 19, but Asheville did not allow UAB to take the lead until a kill put the Blazers ahead 23-22. The two teams went on to swap the following three points before an attack error made it set point for Asheville (25-24). UAB answered with the following two points, but a kill from van der Goot evened the score at 26. Once again, the Blazers took a one-point lead, but van der Goot scored the equalizing point before UAB captured the final two points of the match to earn victory.
Van der Goot led Asheville with nine kills and four block assists. Cackovic followed with seven kills, Thao led the team with 13 digs, Koç had a team-high 17 assists, and Rolfsen had eight assists and six digs. Herlehy led the team with five block assists.
UP NEXT
The Bulldogs will compete again tomorrow (Aug. 30), in the Crimson Tide Invitational against Jacksonville at 1:30 p.m. EST.
To stay updated with Asheville volleyball, follow the team on 𝕩.
About Women's Athletics Presenting Partner First Bank
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