Sept. 24, 2010

Box Score

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Paloma Alvarez and Amanda Chaparro combined for 25 kills as the Catamount volleyball squad dropped a four-set match (17-25, 19-25, 27-25, 17-25) on Friday night in the team's Southern Conference opener against the College of Charleston.

"I think our serve receive and services were better tonight," said Western Carolina head coach Manuel Concepcion. "Our energy was completely different than it was two nights ago against USC Upstate. We did not want to give up today and were in the match all night with the best team in our conference."

After committing 16 errors between service errors and service receiving errors in their last match against USC Upstate, the Catamounts (4-11, 0-1 SoCon) only recorded nine miscues tonight, two less than the College of Charleston. The Cougars (12-4, 2-0 SoCon) led the entire first set with WCU getting as close as four points (18-14) midway through the match before the College of Charleston rattled off five consecutive points to take a 23-14 advantage. WCU went on a 3-1 run capped by a Kelcie Randazzo service ace, making the score 24-17, but Kelly Kolich recorded a kill to give the Cougars set one.

Set two saw the two teams tied four times before the College of Charleston took a narrow two-point lead (12-10) over the Catamounts. After a Cougar timeout, the College of Charleston went on a 9-2 run to take a 21-12 advantage. WCU responded with a 5-2 run to get the match within six (23-17), but the Cougars scored two of the final four points of the set to win 25-19.

It looked as if the Catamounts would fall in set three as they fell to an early 12-2 deficit, but WCU battled back with a 7-4 run to get within seven (16-9). After back-to-back points by the College of Charleston, WCU used an 11-4 run to get within two (22-20). Madelyn McGinnis picked up a kill on the following play before back-to-back kills by Carrie Minogue and Randazzo made the score 23-22. After a setting error by Emily Franklin, the Catamounts took their first lead of the set (25-24) on a 3-0 run capped by an Alvarez kill. Cougar Sarah Havel record a kill to tie the match at 25 before a Leah Best kill and a Ginny Phillips attacking error gave WCU the third set, 27-25.

WCU got trailed early in set four and got within three (10-7), but the Cougars went on 9-3 run to take a 19-10 lead and cause the Catamounts to burn a timeout. WCU outscored the Cougars 7-6 during the rest of the set, but it wasn't enough to overcome its early deficit as the Catamounts lost their SoCon opener.

Chaparro paced the Catamounts with 13 kills while Alvarez contributed 12 kills, recording a .241 attacking percentage on the night. Minogue chipped in seven kills and Best added four. Franklin turned out a good night handling most of the setting, posting a team-high 36 assists.

Defensively, WCU recorded 11 team blocks to the College of Charleston's eight blocks. The Cougars entered the match with the third-most blocks in the conference.

"We out blocked one of the better blocking teams in the conference," said Concepcion. "Our back row with Chaparro and Cochran also did great."

Three different Catamounts recorded 10 or more digs in the match led by freshman Morgan Cochran who posted 17 digs. Randazzo added 15 digs while Chaparro chipped in 10.

WCU returns to action on Sunday, Sept. 26 in a non-conference match against Bethune-Cookman at 3 p.m.