Sept. 16, 2011

Final Stats

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Western Carolina volleyball picked up its second straight win this afternoon, as the Catamounts needed all five sets to down Gardner-Webb, sliding by the Bulldogs 3-2. The Catamounts improved to 4-8 as the Bulldogs fell to 2-8 in its first match of the Spartan Classic, on the campus of USC Upstate.

For the second straight match, Brittany Lysik, Jordan Timmermann and Caitlin Piechota logged double-doubles for the Catamounts. Piechota and Carrie Minogue led the way for the Catamounts offensively as setter Lysik dished 35 assists. Defensively, Piechota marked a career high 18 digs which were also a team high for the afternoon. Minogue and Timmermann also added three total blocks apiece.

The Catamounts jumped on the board first, winning the first set 25-21. WCU led the Bulldogs by eight points before a GWU run brought the Bulldogs within striking distance, but a 4-1 Catamount run gave WCU the early lead. Freshman Jordan Timmermann picked up four of her 11 kills in the second set, including three consecutive kills to give the Catamounts an 8-3 lead and eventually a second set win by the same score as the first set, 25-21.

After taking a 4-3 lead in set No. 3, GWU did not lose its lead, taking the set 25-21. In the fourth set, Gardner-Webb held a 9-3 advantage before the Catamounts came back to knot the match up at 10. The match would end with three straight points for the Bulldogs, ending the set 25-22 for Gardner-Webb.

Runs of three were the difference in the deciding fifth set for the Catamounts. WCU went up to an early 3-0 lead. Later in the set, two straight Minogue kills put the Catamounts up 12-4 before the Purple and Gold put the match away behind the serve of senior Brittany Lysik, winning 15-6.

Tomorrow the Catamounts will play two matches, beginning with a 12:30 tilt against USC Upstate. The second will be against Charleston Southern University at 5:30 p.m. Gametracker will be available for both matches.