CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Senior Merry Gebel and freshman Bailey Hartsough both finished with double-figure kills as the Catamounts rallied past Samford for a 3-1 win on Saturday on Ingles Court at the Ramsey Center. WCU won by scores of 16-25, 25-16, 25-22, 25-20.

The Catamounts improve to 7-8 overall and 3-1 on the season while Samford drops to 3-12 and 2-2. Saturday's win snaps a nine-match Samford winning streak in the all-time series.

Gebel logged her second straight and eighth double-double of the season with 16 kills and 15 digs. Hartsough posted 13 kills along with five digs and one assist. Reigning SoCon Defensive Player of the Week Destinee Dorsey tallied 18 digs while senior Noelle Soldo tied a career-high with 12 digs. Senior Sydney Carlson dished out 20 assists.
Junior Johnna Robinson swatted down seven blocks.

Kenya McQuirter paced Samford with a match-high 19 kills. Lauren Deaton recorded a double-double thanks to a 14 kill and 18 dig effort. Kate Morgan had a match-best 27 digs.

Holding a 6-5 lead, the Bulldogs scored seven of the next eight points as a Sarah Hayes Farley kill gave the visitors a 13-6 lead. Samford led by no fewer than five points for the remainder of the frame as a Kate Wonus service ace clinched the set.

With the Catamounts leading 13-12 in the second set, a Gebel kill sparked an 8-0 run that allowed WCU to take control. A Robinson kill closed out the frame and tied the match at 1.

Samford got off to a quick start in the third set as a Deaton kill gave the Bulldogs a 9-5 edge. The Catamounts chipped away at the deficit and used a 4-0 run to take a 12-0 lead. The WCU lead hovered between one and four points the rest of the way with a Hartsough kill ending the set.

The Bulldogs took a 9-6 lead in the fourth set with a Deaton kill before a 4-0 WCU run gave the Catamounts a 12-10 advantage. A Samford error gave the hosts a 20-15 lead and the Catamounts turned away a late Samford rally for the victory.

WCU hits the road next weekend, venturing the Furman on Friday and Wofford on Saturday in a pair of 7 p.m. contests.

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