Final Stats

MACON, Ga. - Western Carolina volleyball sophomore setter Jo-Leigh Vervelde completed her NCAA-leading seventh triple-double of the season Friday night as the Catamounts fell on the road at Mercer, 3-1. She led the team in kills, assists and digs in the match but it was not enough as the Bears remained unbeaten at home this season.

Vervelde put down 14 kills, dished out 20 assists and dug up 19 balls in the match while adding a block to her stat line. Freshmen Alyssa Zupan and Devan Ingram each achieved double-digit kills in the match. Zupan came away with 11 kills, nine digs and four blocks while Ingram added 10 kills and three blocks off the bench.

Senior setter Cristina Nazario added 19 assists and nine digs while sophomore libero Lucy Lambert had eight digs and a service ace. Sophomore middle blocker Katie O'Connor led the team with five blocks while adding four kills.

The Catamounts’ .272 team hitting percentage was the third highest of the year for WCU but the Bears bested Western Carolina in the category as Mercer hit .316 as a unit including .529 over the final two sets of the match. The Bears did not commit a single attack error in the final set as they closed the door on the Catamounts.

Mercer had three players reach double-figures in kills including Morgan MacGilvary who had a match-high 19.

The Catamounts fell to 7-14 overall this season and 1-4 in SoCon play. The Bears improved to 6-11 this season and 2-4 in conference.

The Bears took a tight opening set 25-23 before WCU roared back in the second set and took a 25-16 dominating victory. Mercer would close out the match by winning the third set 25-19 and the fourth set 25-17.

The Catamounts will now travel to Birmingham, Ala., to take on Samford tomorrow afternoon at 3 pm.