Oct. 22, 2005

Final Stats

Cullowhee, N.C. - For the second-time this season, the Western Carolina Catamount volleyball team had the Davidson Wildcats on the ropes before falling in five, 3-2 (30-17, 27-30, 20-30, 31-29, 15-13) Saturday afternoon in Southern Conference volleyball action at Davidson.

The match was very reminiscent of the September 24th meeting between Western and the Wildcats as both were Parent's Day for the respective home teams. In both, Davidson's early lead was melted by the Catamounts only to see the Wildcats regroup to force and win a fifth game.

Western (6-19, 5-8 SoCon) raced to a 2-1 lead in the match and had a four-point, 27-23, lead in game four, prompting a Wildcat timeout. Davidson (10-14, 6-4 SoCon) rallied to tie the game at 28-apiece before the Catamounts edged back ahead by one, 29-28. However, the Wildcats were able rattle off the game's next three points to force the deciding fifth with the 31-29 win.

Davidson led early in game five and managed a two-point cushion throughout to claim its second, five-game rally over Western this season, taking the fifth game, 15-13.

For the Catamounts, senior Ellie Talbot led the way with a team-high 13 kills, along with 15 digs for the double-double effort. Also recording a double-double was junior Heather Koontz, finishing with 11 kills and 11 digs. Sophomore Meredith Harmon equaled Koontz' kill totals with 11 of her own, as well as leading the Catamounts at the net with six total blocks, including a pair of solo stops as Western out blocked the Wildcats, 14-to-8. Sophomore Danielle Spitzer helped at the net, recording seven block assists and one solo block to accompany her eight kills.

Junior setter Meghan Boyle was a third Catamount to record a double-double, dishing out 42 assists to accompany her 10 digs. Her classmate, transfer Krista Neumann, missed the double dip by one, finishing with nine kills and nine digs.

Davidson took an early lead in the match, 1-0, after taking the first game behind a match-high, .410, for the 30-17 win. The Catamounts responded by winning the next two games, which included rallying from a 16-12 deficit in game two, tying the match at one as Harmon hammered home two of the last three points on kills. In game three, the Catamounts jumped out a 16-6 lead in game three as Koontz served eight-straight points, including three service aces, as Western coasted to the 30-20 win and a 2-1 edge in the match.

Davidson placed four players in the books with double-digits in kills led by junior Liz Williamson who had a double-double with a match-high 22 kills and 10 digs. Freshman Alison Dwyer finished with a career-high 12 kills.

Western returns to action next Saturday and Sunday as a part of Homecoming 2005 festivities in Cullowhee. On Saturday evening, the Catamounts will host the College of Charleston in a SoCon catfight at 6:00 pm in historic Reid Gym. On Sunday, Western will entertain The Citadel back in the Ramsey Center with a 2:00 pm start time.