Sept. 16, 2003
Final Stats
Cullowhee, N.C. - The Western Carolina volleyball team would not allow UNC Asheville to take a single game in the match as the Catamounts (7-3) shut out the Bulldogs (4-3) , 30-20, 30-22, 30-22, for their seventh straight win of the season. This is WCU's longest winning streak since notching eight in a row from Sept. 14 through Oct. 2, 2002.
Game one was close until the very end with six ties and three lead changes before Layna Stoetzel stepped up to serve and Western pulled away on five straight points to make the score 15-10. In the end it was Stoetzel once again, serving seven straight points to end the game at 30-20.
The second game started much like the first with neither team pulling away early. UNCA's Frida Sigurdardottir knotted the game at 7-7 on a service ace, but Western came back strong with a kill by Sara Komosinski to take the lead for good. Game two ended at 30-22 on a service error by Bulldog Krysti Havens.
In the third and final match, Amanda Wiles of UNCA scored four straight points and the Cats answered with five of their own with Stoetzel behind the line to serve. Wiles tied the game at 5-5 with a kill, but WCU came right back with a kill by Kellyn Thaut, one of her match-leading 19 kills of the match. The game stayed close until Stoetzel served four straight points to make the score 28-21, forcing UNCA to take a timeout. After the break, Rose Butler posted a kill in an attempted comeback, but Western put the game, and the match, away on two consecutive kills by Michelle Gorton and Komosinski, respectively.
The Catamounts out-hit the Bulldogs, .312 to .149, with 51 kills to UNCA's 42. Service errors plagued the Dogs as they recorded 10 for the night.
"We played outstanding volleyball tonight," praised WCU head coach Angell Benson. "Our defense was where it's always been, but we really stepped up our offensive effort tonight. UNC Asheville is a good team, but our girls really wanted the win and they did what it took to get it."
Western was led by Thaut with 20.5 points in the match on 19 kills, one service ace and one assisted block. She also added a team-leading 16 digs. SoCon Player of the Week Shari Harder recorded six kills, no errors and 11 total attacks for a game-leading .545 hitting percentage. She added 36 assists and one ace on the night.
UNCA was led by Elif Unlu with 13 kills and 35 attacks. Sigurdardottir contributed 10 kills, 25 attacks, three aces and two assisted blocks. The Bulldogs recorded five team blocks in the match while Western had four.
The Catamounts return to action this weekend as they travel to Atlanta for the Georgia Tech Invitational. WCU plays South Florida on Friday night at 5 pm. They additionally face #5 Georgia Tech at 10 am on Saturday and #24 Wisconsin at 2 pm to wrap up their tournament play for the season.
