University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
15-9,3-5Big South
High Point
13-6,7-1Big South
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNC Asheville | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
| High Point | 26 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 1 |
10.23.2026 | Women's Volleyball
HIGH POINT, N.C. – The UNC Asheville volleyball team set a new program record for service aces in a single season and powered its way to a four-set victory over High Point on Friday evening at the Millis Athletic and Convocation Center. The victory marked Asheville's first win over the Panthers since Oct. 15, 2016, snapping a decade-long drought against its Big South Conference foe.
The 2026 squad also etched its name into the program record books, breaking the single-season service aces record previously held by the 2009 team. Asheville recorded seven aces in Friday's victory, bringing its season total to a program-record 225. The Bulldogs rank No. 1 nationally in total service aces and service aces per set (2.45).
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
Sarah Wadsworth led the Bulldogs offensively with a match-high 16 kills, while adding two service aces and a career-high seven total blocks, including three solo stops. Addie Brookbank and Albertine van der Goot followed with 11 kills apiece, with Brookbank also contributing a match-high three service aces. Van der Goot led the team with a .292 hitting percentage.
The Bulldogs delivered an impressive defensive performance at the net, totaling 17 team blocks compared to High Point's eight. Lydia Pate led the charge with a career-high nine blocks, including two solo stops, while Wadsworth added seven and Lily Bannister contributed a career-high five.
Izzy Perkins anchored the back row with a match-high 17 digs, while Olivia Callipo dished out 20 assists and Riley Barr added 17.
As a team, Asheville finished with a .159 hitting percentage while holding High Point to a .009 clip. The Bulldogs totaled 48 kills, 43 assists, seven service aces and 17 team blocks in the victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The opening set was a back-and-forth battle, with Asheville rallying from a late deficit to tie the score at 24-24 following a block from Wadsworth and Pate. Despite the late comeback, High Point secured the final two points to take the set, 26-24.
After dropping the opener, the Bulldogs responded emphatically in the second set, limiting the Panthers to just three kills and a -.348 hitting percentage. Asheville opened the set with a 6-1 advantage and never relinquished the lead, evening the match with a 25-18 victory before carrying that momentum into the third set.
The Bulldogs turned in their strongest offensive set of the evening in the third, recording 17 kills while hitting .289 to claim another 25-18 victory and take a 2-1 advantage. Wadsworth recorded seven kills in the third frame, with back-to-back kills early in the set helping Asheville claim the lead for good.
Asheville closed out the historic night with a third consecutive 25-18 set victory. With the score knotted at five, a High Point error helped Asheville take the lead, and the Bulldogs remained ahead for the rest of the set to secure their first win over the Panthers in a decade.
UP NEXT
With the win, Asheville improves to 15-9 overall and 3-5 in league play, while handing the Panthers their first loss of the season in both Big South Conference play and at home.
The Bulldogs will travel to Virginia to face Radford at 4 p.m. on Saturday (Oct. 24).
