Box Score

Aug. 27, 2010

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - The Western Carolina volleyball team opened the 2010 season with a 3-0 victory over Coppin State on Friday, Aug. 27. The victory marks the first time since 2001 the Catamounts have opened the season with a victory.

The Catamounts (1-0) took the first set 25-15 before winning set two, 25-14. The Eagles (0-1) kept the third match close, but Western Carolina held on for the 25-21 victory.

The Catamounts opened the first set by scoring nine unanswered points before jumping out to their largest lead of the set (19-7) on a junior Rebecca Stoltz kill. After a timeout, Coppin State went on a 4-0 run to bring the score within eight (19-11), but back-to-back kills by freshman Leah Best and sophomore Amanda Chaparro pushed the Catamount lead to 21-11. The Eagles scored three straight points to make the score 21-14, but the Catamounts would score four of the next five points in the match to take the set 25-15.

Set two saw Western Carolina jump out to a 20-7 lead before Coppin State showed signs of life by bringing the match within nine (20-11), scoring four consecutive points. Back-to-back kills by Kelcie Randazzo made the score 22-11 before the Eagles' Alexandria Malesick and Vanity Massey returned the favor by collecting kills to bring the set back within nine (22-13). The Catamounts scored three of the final four points of the set on a Coppin State error and kills by Paloma Alvarez and Chaparro to win the set, 25-14.

In the third set, the two teams were tied at 14 before Western Carolina went on an 8-3 run to take a 22-17 lead. Western eventually pulled away to win the final frame, 25-21.

Defensively, freshman libero Morgan Cochran paced the squad with 19 digs. Puerto Rico natives Alvarez and Chaparro both added nine kills while freshman Kelcie Randazzo and junior Carrie Minogue added six kills.

Junior setter Emily Franklin posted a match-high 14 assists while Randazzo chipped in 10.