CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Sophomore Bailey Hartsough recorded a career-best 22 kills along with 11 digs, but Western Carolina was unable to hold off a late Furman charge in a 3-2 setback to the Paladins in front of a record crowd of 504 fans on Senior Night. Furman won by scores of 25-18, 25-16, 24-26, 22-25, and 12-15.
 
Furman improves to 8-18 overall and 4-12 in Southern Conference play while Western Carolina concludes the regular season at 17-11 and 10-6.
 
Hartsough eclipsed her previous career-best of 20 kills, also against Furman, and recorded her eighth double-double of the season. Fifth-year senior Merry Gebel had 11 kills and tied her career-high of 18 digs for her 12^th double-double of the season and 67^th of her career. Junior Livi Weidmann also finished in double figures offensively with 11 kills. Classmate Destinee Dorsey was credited with a match-best 23 digs. Fifth-year senior Sydney Carlson dished out 28 assists and also contributed a career-best five service aces.
 
Lauren Haynes led Furman with 21 kills followed by Mary Beth Headley with 16 and Grainne McGrath with 10. Andrea Aceveda had 21 digs while Sarah Turner had 18 assists.
 
Furman led 12-8 in the opening set following an Aceveda service ace before the Catamounts scored seven straight points to lead 15-12 at the media timeout. After a McGrath kill brought Furman within two, 16-14, WCU scored five of the next six points to lead 21-15 and closed out the set with a Weidmann kill.
 
An Eden Punch block gave the Catamounts a 7-3 lead in the second set and the Catamounts extended their advantage to a set-best eight points, 22-14, following a Hartsough kill. Furman grabbed three straight points before a Hartsough kill and Robinson block closed out the set.
 
The Paladins led 10-4 in the third set and held a 13-7 advantage following a McGrath kill. WCU answered with 13 of the next 14 points, pulling ahead 20-14 following a Weidmann kill. Furman tallied five of the next six points and trimmed the WCU lead to one, 23-22 after a Headley kill. A Hartsough kill gave the hosts match point but Furman forced a fourth set with four straight points.
 
Tied at 18 in the fourth set, Furman took the next four points before a Hartsough kill brought WCU within one, 22-21 but would get no closer as a McGrath kill forced a fifth set.
 
Knotted at eight in what had been a tightly contested fifth set, Furman scored three of the next four points to lead. 12-9. WCU pulled within two points on three occasions but would get no closer the rest of the way.
 
The Catamounts earned the No. 3 seed in the SoCon Tournament and will face No. 6 seed Mercer in the quarterfinals on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Furman's Alley Gymnasium.
 
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