CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The Western Carolina volleyball team completed the season sweep of UNCG in front of a record crowd of 477 enthusiastic fans on Ingles Court at the Ramsey Center on Wednesday evening. The Catamounts won by scores of 25-13, 25-15, and 25-21.

WCU improves to 17-10 overall and 10-5 in Southern Conference play while UNCG drops to 10-18 and 4-11.

Fifth-year senior Merry Gebel led the Catamounts with a match-best 13 kills. Junior Livi Weidmann had eight kills followed by sophomore Bailey Hartsough with seven. Hartsough and junior Destinee Dorsey both were credited with 10 digs. Fifth-year senior Sydney Carlson had a match-best 19 assists followed by sophomore Sarah Janourova with 12.

Daija Jackson and Mya Wood both recorded seven kills to lead UNCG. Ella Voegele had a team-best 12 digs.

A Hartsough kill opened the match as the Catamounts pulled out to an 8-3 advantage in the first set thanks to a Gebel service ace. The Catamounts extended their lead to 16-8 following a block by Weidmann and Eden Punch and clinched the set on a Carlson service ace.

WCU took the first two points of the second set and maintained a lead of no more than three points in the early stages. After a Wood kill brought the Spartans within two, 12-10, a Weidmann kill sparked a 9-0 run that gave the Catamounts a bit of breathing room. Following a Punch kill that put WCU ahead 24-12, the Spartans tallied three straight points before a serving error ended the set.

The Spartans earned the first three points of the third set and led 15-8 at the media timeout following a Sierra Herndon kill. WCU trimmed its deficit to 15-12 before consecutive Spartan kills pushed their lead back to five points, 17-12. Following a timeout, a Weidmann kill sparked a 6-0 run as WCU grabbed its first lead of the set, 18-17. With the score knotted at 20, a Brooklyn Poling kill gave the Catamounts a lead they wouldn't relinquish down the stretch before the match ended on a Gebel kill.   

The Catamounts welcome Furman (6-18, 2-12 SoCon) to Cullowhee on Saturday at 6 p.m. for the regular-season and home finale. WCU will also honor its seniors in a special pre-match ceremony.
 
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