University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
14-8,2-4Big South
Winthrop
9-6,5-1Big South
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNC Asheville | 18 | 16 | 25 | 25 | 9 | 2 |
| Winthrop | 25 | 25 | 19 | 10 | 15 | 3 |
Bulldogs Rally to Force Fifth Set, Fall at Winthrop
10.16.2026 | Women's Volleyball
ROCK HILL, S.C. – The UNC Asheville volleyball team rallied from a two-set deficit to force a decisive fifth set Friday evening (Oct. 16), but ultimately fell to Winthrop, 3-2, in Big South Conference action at Winthrop Coliseum.
The Eagles claimed the opening two sets, 25-18 and 25-16, before Asheville responded with 25-19 and 25-10 victories in the third and fourth sets. Winthrop secured the match with a 15-9 victory in the fifth set.
Addie Brookbank led the Bulldogs offensively with a career-high 21 kills on a career-high 48 attack attempts, hitting .313 while adding seven digs. Sarah Wadsworth followed with 16 kills on a .349 hitting percentage, three service aces and 10 digs to record a double-double.
Albertine van der Goot contributed eight kills and five total blocks, including one solo block, while Olivia Callipo recorded a career-high 33 assists and added 12 digs for a double-double of her own. Elise Jensen added 13 assists, and Izzy Perkins led Asheville defensively with 18 digs. Cadence Nichols also matched her career high with three digs while contributing three block assists. Lydia Pate also had three block assists and contributed two aces.
Asheville opened the first set with an 8-3 advantage, as Pate had five consecutive serves, finishing her time at the service line with an ace, before Winthrop responded with an 8-3 run to tie the score at 11. The Eagles forced Asheville to take a timeout and out of the break, Winthrop connected for five consecutive kills to take a 16-11 lead. The Bulldogs were unable to regain the advantage as the Eagles took the opening frame, 25-18.
Winthrop carried its momentum into the second set, jumping out to an early 10-4 lead. Asheville battled to remain within striking distance, but the Eagles maintained control down the stretch to claim a 25-16 victory and take a 2-0 lead in the match.
The Bulldogs responded in the third set, using a balanced offensive attack to gain control midway through the frame. Down 5-4, a kill from Brookbank knotted the game at five and Asheville began to build to its lead and take a 13-8 advantage. The Bulldogs extended its lead to 19-14 before closing out the set, 25-19. Brookbank and Wadsworth combined for 11 of the Bulldogs 16 kills in the third frame.
Asheville dominated the fourth set, overcoming an early 3-0 deficit with a 7-0 run behind Wadsworth's serving. The Bulldogs continued to pull away, building an 11-4 advantage before extending their lead to 20-9. Asheville closed out the frame with a 25-10 victory, hitting a match-best .385 while holding Winthrop to a negative .115 hitting percentage.
In the decisive fifth set, Winthrop established an early advantage and led 8-4 at the changeover. The Bulldogs continued to battle, but the Eagles held on to secure the 15-9 victory.
Asheville finished the evening hitting .260 with 52 kills, six service aces, 61 digs and eight total blocks.
With the loss, Asheville moves to 14-8 overall and 2-4 in Big South play.
The Bulldogs return to the court tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 17, as they travel to play Gardner-Webb in Boiling Springs, N.C. at 4 p.m.
