GREENVILLE, S.C. – Sophomore Bailey Hartsough recorded her ninth double-double of the season with 12 kills and 12 digs as No. 3 seed Western Carolina downed No. 6 seed Mercer 3-0 in the Southern Conference tournament quarterfinals. The Catamounts won the match by scores of 25-18, 25-15, and 25-17.

Western Carolina improves to 18-11 while Mercer ends its season at 10-19. WCU faces No. 2 seed Samford on Saturday in the semifinal round at 7:30 p.m.

Hartsough finished in double figures offensively for the 12^th time this season. Classmate Sarah Janourova also tallied a double-double with 10 assists and 11 digs for her fifth double-double of the year. Fifth-year senior Merry Gebel posted nine kills and swatted a team-best five blocks. Junior Destinee Dorsey was credited with 10 digs.

Annie Karle led Mercer with 13 kills. Lexi Urhan had a team-best nine digs.

The Bears grabbed a 6-3 lead in the first set thanks to consecutive Jaida Howell kills. With Mercer leading 12-8, the Catamounts used a 7-1 run to grab a 15-13 advantage at the media timeout. Following the break, the Catamounts added four of the next five points for a 20-14 lead. Mercer got no closer than six points the rest of the way before a Hartsough kill closed out the set.

In the second set, a Janourova service ace put WCU ahead 9-5 before Mercer pulled within two, 10-8, thanks to a WCU error. A Brooklyn Poling kill gave the Catamounts a 13-9 lead before WCU methodically built its lead as the set went on, clinching the frame on a Hartsough kill.

WCU dashed out to a 7-2 lead in the third set thanks to a Dorsey service ace before the Bears evened the set at 14. The Catamounts took control of the set with five of the next six points leading to a Mercer timeout and led by no fewer than four points the rest of the way. A Johnna Robinson kill punched WCU's tickets to Saturday's semifinal.

Saturday's match will be streamed on ESPN+ (paid subscription required).

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