Oct. 16, 2011

Final Stats

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Despite Western Carolina winning the first set by a score of 25-17, the Paladins came back to defeat the Catamounts, 3-1 (25-17, 19-25, 20-25, 18-25). The Catamounts came out of the gates strong, hitting at a .237 clip, outhitting the Paladins' .114. With the loss, WCU falls to 9-15 overall and 4-4 in the SoCon. Furman improves to 13-7, 6-2 in the SoCon.

"After playing an exceptional first set, we dug too big of holes for ourselves in the next sets," said head coach Karen Glover. "We just couldn't recover from those deficits."

Furman was led by Natalie Braun who recorded a triple-double with 10 kills, 26 assists and 20 digs. Braun was joined offensively by a host of Paladins as three others recorded nine kills or better. Christina Curry posted 12 kills while Christina Dorismond and Kelly Kirby contributed with nine kills apiece.

Sophomore libero Morgan Cochran posted her eighth consecutive match over ten digs, finishing the afternoon with a match-high 25 digs. It is the 13th time this season that Cochran has recorded double-digit digs this season. Caitlin Piechota and Brittany Lysik added double-double with Piechota recording 11 kills and 12 digs while Lysik tallied 32 assists and 14 digs.

Western Carolina went out to a 13-4 to start the first set behind a 6-0 streak from the serve of freshman Jordan Timmermann. Rebecca Stoltz led the Catamounts to another 3-0 streak to improve the score to 21-11 in the Catamounts' favor. A Furman service error would give WCU the first set win, 25-17.

WCU came out sluggish at the beginning of the next three sets with Furman jumping out to leads of 9-2, 11-4 and 8-2. In all three sets, though, Western Carolina would reel itself back into each set. In the second, the Catamounts kept chipping away at the Paladins' lead, with the Catamounts going on a 3-0 run with Abbey Scroggins serving, to get within one of Furman at 18-19. A WCU attack error would end the Catamount rally with Furman taking the second, 25-19.

Furman got out to a 17-7 lead before the Catamounts would put together a long run to get back in the match. Abbey Scroggins had three consecutive kills in the run with Rebecca Stoltz also adding a kill. The Catamounts narrowed the score to 13-17 on the run. Two Furman attack errors would narrow the lead to three to make the score 16-19, but it would be as close as the Catamounts would get. Furman took the third, 25-20.

In the fourth, a 4-0 run brought the Catamounts back within one, 12-13. The teams would trade points before Furman would go on two streaks - both 3-0 - to eventually take set four, 25-18.

Western Carolina out blocked Furman 11-3. Senior Rebecca Stoltz recorded a match-high six total blocks. Stoltz also recorded two service aces. Carrie Minogue - currently eighth with 273 total blocks in her career - moved within four of Emily Tillotson's 277 career blocks who sits in seventh place on the list. Brittany Lysik and Abbey Scroggins each added four total blocks.

Western Carolina will head to Charleston, S.C. next weekend to take on The Citadel and the College of Charleston. The Catamounts the following weekend for volleyball's Dig Pink matches. Fans are encouraged to wear pink and make donations to support breast cancer education and awareness at http://www.side-out.org/application/ous/fundraising_page/2697. Donations will also be taken at the Ramsey Center during the Elon and UNCG matches.