CHARLESTON, W. Va. - - UVa-Wise was outlasted in four sets by the Golden Eagles of the University of Charleston Friday night, 3-1 (25-15, 25-15, 22-25, 25-16).
Freshman Kelsey Green led the charge for the Cavaliers (5-24, 2-14 MEC) with 12 kills and a .355 hitting percentage. Sophomores Brooke Abbott and Madelyn Lawrence each added 10 kills apiece while Lawrence hit a team-high .474 on the night. Sophomore setter Makayla Ledford recorded 37 of the Cavs 44 assists while junior Morgan Milligan posted 17 digs.
Charleston (15-16, 10-5 MEC) would take the lead early with a 6-2 advantage over the UVa-Wise. A kill by Lawrence would put the Cavs down by four points later in the set. Green would put UVa-Wise down just two points with a kill as Charleston held a 16-14 lead. With UVa-Wise trailing by only one point late, Charleston would go on a nine-point run to claim a 25-15 first set win.
The Golden Eagles would jump ahead again in the second set with a 7-2 lead on a kill by Charleston. The Cavs would attempt to cut the deficit with a kill by Matelyn Gibson putting UVa-Wise down five points, 12-7. Charleston would maintain its momentum as the Golden Eagles captured a 25-15 second set victory.
UVa-Wise would take the lead to start the third set on a block by Green and Lawrence, 7-5. Abbott would put the Cavs ahead by three, 16-13, later in the set before the Golden Eagles came from behind to knot the set at 20-20. The two teams would battle down to the wire as UVa-Wise capitalized off of a 5-1 run to win their first set of the match, 25-22.
The Cavs carried their momentum into the fourth set, keeping it close early before tying the game at 10-10. Charleston would gain an 18-12 lead later in the set on a service ace. UVa-Wise would get within two points on a Golden Eagle attack error, 18-16, but a 7-0 run late in the set propelled Charleston to a 25-16 fourth set win.
UVa-Wise posted 45 kills, 44 assists, and 54 blocks on the night. Charleston registered 59 kills, 56 assists, 64 digs, and hit .333 in the Golden Eagles win.
Volleyball will return to action in its regular season finale against West Virginia State on the road tomorrow. First serve is slated for 1 p.m.
