Box Score WISE, Va. – UVa-Wise volleyball earned another exciting Mountain East Conference five-set home win Saturday afternoon over Shepherd University inside the David J. Prior Convocation Center on senior day. The Cavaliers (10-23, 8-8 MEC) rallied from a two set to one deficit to defeat the visiting Rams (12-20, 5-11 MEC) 3-2 (25-23, 13-25, 18-25, 25-22, 15-8) and finish the 2016 regular season with a 6-3 home record.
 
Both UVa-Wise and Shepherd hit 48 kills in the five sets as the Rams swung at a mark of .123 and the Cavs recorded an attack percentage of .071. The two teams also earned six service aces each but UVa-Wise out dug Shepherd, 62-55. The Rams collected 10 total team blocks compared to just seven by the Cavs.
 
Shepherd jumped on the Cavs early in the opening set, taking a 12-5 lead that it extended to 15-18 before UVa-Wise got within three at 15-12 after a string of four consecutive points. However, the Rams remained in control and went up by seven once again at 22-15 before the Cavs began their comeback. Six-straight points by UVa-Wise got the Cavs within one at 22-21, before a kill by senior middle blocker Santana Bishop (Gate City, Va.) and three attack errors by the Rams gave UVa-Wise the first-set win. The Cavs claimed 10 of the final 11 points of the set to win it 25-23 and go up 1-0.
 
The Rams were not done yet and raced out to a commanding 6-0 and 9-2 lead in the second set, before increasing its advantage to 13 at 18-5. Shepherd did not back down and continued to dominate the set, winning it by a score of 25-13 to even up the match at 1-1. A string of five consecutive points gave the Rams a 14-10 lead in the third set that they would not relinquish. The Cavs were not able to any closer than four points the rest of the set as Shepherd won it 25-18 to go up 2-1 in the match.
 
Down 12-11 in the fourth set, UVa-Wise began to regather itself and looked more determined than ever. After winning five-straight points to build a four-point lead, the Cavs remained ahead and found themselves up 23-18. A trio of Shepherd points forced head coach Kristen Salyer to call a timeout at 23-21, before UVa-Wise finished off the set by winning two of the last three points. With the 25-22 fourth-set win, the Cavs forced a decisive fifth.
 
UVa-Wise did not let a 4-2 deficit determine the outcome of the final set, winning five consecutive points to build an 8-4 advantage. After a pair of service aces from senior libero Erin Lee (Fincastle, Va.), the Cavs led 13-6 and needed just two more points to clinch the match. Shepherd claimed the next points before a block by senior middle blockers Lindsey Tucker (Midlothian, Va.) and Bishop and a kill by senior outside hitter Erin Anderson (Richmond, Va.) gave UVa-Wise the victory with a 15-8 fifth-set win.
 
Senior outside hitter Karley Allen (Lanexa, Va.) and Anderson led UVa-Wise with double-doubles. Allen notched 13 kills and 13 digs as Anderson finished with 12 kills and 13 digs. Tucker also crossed the double-digit kill mark with 11 and made four blocks, while Bishop added four blocks of her own and Lee earned a team-high 18 digs and three service aces. Freshman setter Morgan Milligan (Bridgewater, Va.) assisted on 40 of the Cavs' 48 kills and posted a career-high three blocks.
 
The Rams were led by Peyton Lindblad and Seone Goode, who tallied 16 kills and eight blocks, respectively. Shepherd got nine kills and a match-high 19 digs from Jaila Bell, and another seven kills from both Christine Jackson and Amanda Snowden. Snowden also claimed six digs and three aces, while Grace Simmons had three blocks and Jackson earned two. Becca Kern assisted on 40 of the Rams' 48 kills as Imani Major chipped in 14 digs.
 
Today's match wraps up the regular season for UVa-Wise as the Cavs will now turn their attention to postseason play in the 2016 MEC Volleyball Tournament. Seed, first-round opponent and match time will be announced later.
 
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