BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Fifth-year seniors Merry Gebel and Sydney Carlson each recorded double-doubles, but Western Carolina dropped a 3-1 decision to Samford on Saturday evening inside the Pete Hanna Center. Samford won the match by scores of 23-25, 28-26, 20-25, and 20-25.

Samford improves to 13-9 overall and 8-2 in the Southern Conference while WCU falls to 14-8 and 7-3.

Gebel logged her seventh double-double of the year and 63^rd overall with a team-best 16 kills along with 13 digs. Carlson posted her fourth double-double of the season with 17 assists and 10 digs. Destinee Dorsey led WCU with 21 digs while Sarah Janourova tallied 18 assists. Johnna Robinson and Livi Weidmann both recorded six blocks.

Lauren Deaton led Samford with a match-best 19 kills and also was credited with 10 digs. Kenya McQuirter finished with 18 kills.  Kate Morgan had a match-high 37 digs.

WCU enjoyed a 6-3 lead in the first set before an 8-1 Samford run gave the Bulldogs an 11-7 lead. Samford led 15-10 at the first set media timeout but the Catamounts battled back, evening the frame at 16 thanks to a Dorsey service ace. Tied at 22, the Bulldogs gained set point thanks to kills by Keshock and Wonus and following a Gebel kill, McQuirter clinched the opening set for the hosts with a kill.

The Catamounts outlasted Samford in a second set that featured five lead changes and 10 ties. Trailing 26-25, WCU evened the score thanks to a serving error and took a 27-26 advantage following a Samford error. Brooklyn Poling and Eden Punch teamed up for a block to clinch the set and even the match.

A tightly contested third set saw Samford lead by no more than four points for the majority of the frame. WCU pulled within a point, 20-19, thanks to an Ali Morris kill before the Bulldogs claimed three straight points and took the set for a 2-1 match lead.

WCU grabbed a 6-2 lead in the fourth set following a Punch kill before Samford chipped away at the WCU lead and went ahead for good on consecutive Kayla Keshock service aces and extended their lead down the stretch.

The Catamounts return to Ingles Court at the Ramsey Center next weekend, hosting Wofford on Friday and The Citadel on Saturday in a pair of 6 p.m. matches.

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