CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina secured the two-match seasonal sweep of Mercer with their second consecutive 3-0 win over the Bears on Monday evening at the Ramsey Regional Activity Center. The Catamounts won the match by scores of 25-20, 25-19, and 25-22.

With its third straight win, WCU improves to 8-7 overall and 8-5 in the Southern Conference. Mercer drops to 10-7 overall and 9-3 in league play.

Junior Haley Multerer paced the Catamounts with eight kills and a career-best four solo blocks. The Mequon, Wis., native tied her career-high with five total blocks in the winning effort. Freshman Eden Punch had a career night with seven kills and four solo blocks along with two block assists for a career-best six total blocks. Senior Hannah Price dished out a team-best 27 assists while freshman Destinee Dorsey led the Catamounts with 16 digs.

Annie Karle led Mercer with 13 kills. Malia Randolph tallied 24 assists while Megan Smith and Brittany Major both had 16 digs.

A Randolph kill gave Mercer a 12-9 advantage in the opening set before WCU tallied seven of the next eight points for a 16-13 lead. WCU extended its lead to 22-16 thanks to a block by Punch. The Bears made a late run but the Catamounts stood strong down the stretch for a 1-0 lead in the match with the 25-20 win.

Mercer grabbed a three-point, 14-11, lead in the second set prompting an early Catamount timeout by head coach Karen Glover. After the stoppage, WCU used a 9-1 run that included eight-straight points including seven off Price's serve as the Catamounts claimed a 20-15 advantage. Mercer cut the WCU lead to two, 21-19 after the second of two straight Taylor Lynch kills. Multerer halted the Bear rally, though, with a kill and took the set thanks to a Mercer error and blocks by Punch and Madison McNally.

A tightly contested third set saw the teams within three points of each other for the majority of the frame. WCU held a slim 19-18 lead following a kill by Mercer's Jaida Howell, but the Catamounts took the next four points for a 23-19 edge. Mercer fended off set point on three occasions as a Karle kill brought the visitors within two before a service error ended the match.

WCU is off this weekend before turning its attention to the second of two rescheduled matches against Wofford on March 25 at 6 p.m. for its final home match inside the Ramsey Center.

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