WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Junior Livi Weidmann tallied a team-best 10 kills and classmate Destinee Dorsey added a team-high 15 digs as Western Carolina volleyball fell to Kennesaw State 3-1 in the 2022 season opener at the Wake Forest Invitational at Reynolds Gymnasium. The Owls won by scores of 17-25, 25-16, 25-19, and 25-12.
 
Weidmann finished in double figures offensively for the fourth time in her career. Freshman Ali Morris narrowly missed a double-double with nine kills and nine digs, while fifth-year senior Sydney Carlson dished out a team-best 20 assists.
 
Dani Ballou and Jasmine Brown led Kennesaw State with 10 kills each. Shelby Dennis tallied a match-best 23 digs.
 
The Owls took an early 8-4 lead in the opening set before a pair of Johnna Robinson service aces and two KSU errors knotted the score. With the set tied at nine, KSU tallied seven of the next eight points to take control, claiming the early match lead with the 25-17 set win.
 
WCU opened the second set on a 5-1 run and led by as many as 11 points as a Robinson kill closed out the frame and evened the match at one set apiece.
 
With the third set tied at 13, KSU posted a 7-1 run and led by no fewer than six points the rest of the way for a 2-1 match advantage. In the fourth set, WCU tallied three of the first four points, but Kennesaw State took six of the next seven points to lead 7-4. Consecutive kills by Merry Gebel, who finished with eight kills for the Catamounts, brought WCU within a point before the Owls tallied the next four points and they would go on to win the set and match.
 
The Catamounts continue play at the Wake Forest Invitational tomorrow, facing the host Demon Deacons at Noon before closing out the tournament against N.C. Central at 4:30 p.m. Both matches will have live stats with the Wake Forest contest streamed on ACC Network Extra (paid subscription required).
 
Keep track of everything related to Catamount volleyball and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports), Instagram (@wcu_catamounts, @catamountvb), and Twitter (@catamounts, @catamountvb).