WISE – UVA Wise took a 2-0 lead and held off a determined comeback effort by Emory & Henry to claim the 3-0 South Atlantic Conference match victory over the Wasps Tuesday evening.
The Highland Cavaliers closed the match on a 3-0 scoring run that included a pair of blocks.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Result: UVA Wise 3, Emory & Henry 0
Records: UVA Wise (7-6, 2-3 SAC); Emory & Henry (2-10, 0-5 SAC)
Location: Wise, VA | The Quillen Court at the David J. Prior Convocation Center
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The first set had eleven ties and four lead changes. Neither team had more than a three point lead until a
Mailea Hufnagel kill off an assist by
Abigail Curtis with the score tied 18-18 sparked a 4-0 Cav run. The Wasps' Haley Harnichar then had a kill to cut the lead to 24-22, but a quick set by
Piper Suddeth to
Cassidy Farley resulted in a quick kill and the 25-22 set victory for UVA Wise.
- Set two started off similar to the first with several ties. With the score tied at 10-10, sophomore
Riley Brandon notched her fourth kill of the match and sparked a 6-0 run. Some late miscues by the Cavs allowed the Wasps to cut the score to 23-21, but another kill by Brandon and an E&H attack error sealed the 25-21 victory.
- Once again the lead changed hands several times in the third set before the Cavs rolled out to a 21-15 lead, forcing a Wasp timeout. Following the break, E&H rallied back to take a 24-23 lead. The Cavs tied the match on a block by Farley and
Morgan Blevins, and then used an attack error by the Wasps and a block by Brandon and Farley to claim the 26-24 win and the match.
GETTING WISE
- Brandon's triple-double (11 kills, 20 assists, 11 digs) and Farley's 11 kills led the Cavs offensively. Hufnagel also chipped in 10 kills. It was Brandon's third triple-double of the season, tying her for third nationally.
- Suddeth added in 18 assists to go along with the 20 by Brandon. It is Suddeth's fourth double-double of the season.
- Five Highland Cavaliers had double-digit digs. Curtis led the way with 20, followed by Suddeth's 14. Brandon and
Kaylee Scarce had eleven digs apiece.
- Farley led the team with eight blocks, while Blevins chipped in four.
- The Cavs had a 49-27 advantage in kills, 48-26 advantage in assists, and a 65-48 lead in digs.
- The win cuts the Wasps' lead in the overall series to 9-8. UVA Wise will have a chance to tie the series when they go to Emory & Henry on November 6.
ABOUT THE WASPS
- Brianna Hogan led the Wasps with 10 kills. Logan Newberry chipped in 22 assists.
- Defensively, Libby Bickelhaupt led the team with 16 digs. Three other players had six digs apiece.
UP NEXT
The team was originally scheduled to host Newberry Friday evening. With the damage to the roads in Western North Carolina and East Tennessee from Tropical Storm Helene, the game has been postponed. They will now host Concord Saturday at 7 p.m.
