CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The Western Carolina volleyball team completed the season sweep of The Citadel on Saturday evening, downing the Bulldogs in three sets on Ingles Court at the Ramsey Center. WCU won the match by scores of 25-23, 25-23, and 25-12.

WCU improves to 16-8 overall and 9-3 in league matches while The Citadel drops to 10-14 and 3-8.

Fifth-year senior Merry Gebel recorded her third straight, ninth of the season, and the 64^th double-double of her career with a team-best 10 kills along with 10 digs. One night after posting a career-best 16 kills, freshman Ali Morris was credited with eight kills. Junior Destinee Dorsey had a team-best 20 digs. Fifth-year senior Sydney Carlson had 17 assists while sophomore Sarah Janourova added 15. Junior Eden Punch swatted a match-best five blocks.

Ali Ruffin led The Citadel with a match-best 14 kills. Kenzie Kellerman had a team-best 21 digs.

A Kathleen Bula kill gave the Bulldogs an early 9-5 edge and The Citadel enjoyed a 15-10 lead at the first set media timeout after a Ruffin kill. The Bulldogs led 21-16 following a WCU error before the Catamounts went on a 6-0 run, grabbing their first lead of the set after a Gebel kill. After a Bulldog kill tied the set at 22, a service error put WCU back on top and the Catamounts clinched the opening set with a Brooklyn Poling kill.

The Bulldogs led 12-6 in the second set and pushed their lead to 17-11 following a Ruffin kill. A Morris kill sparked a 5-1 WCU run capped by a Dorsey service ace that brought the hosts within two, 18-16. The Bulldogs answered with three straight points for a 21-16 advantage before WCU went on an 8-0 run to lead 24-21. The Bulldogs pulled within a point as a result of a Bula kill before a Gebel kill wrapped up the set.

The Catamounts raced out to a 9-2 lead in the third set and led by no fewer than seven points the rest of the way. Consecutive Gebel service aces closed out the match.

WCU embarks on its final road trip of the regular season next weekend, heading to ETSU on Friday at 7 p.m. followed by a 4 p.m. contest at Chattanooga on Saturday.

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