FAIRMONT, WV – The UVA Wise volleyball team went 1-1 in the final day of competition in the Fairmont State Classic, falling 3-1 to the host Falcons before rallying to sweep Elizabeth City State 3-0 in their final game.
Piper Suddeth had an impressive outing in the classic with 121 assists, ten aces, and 41 digs over all four matches, which earned her a spot on the All-Classic Team.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Result: Fairmont State 3, UVA Wise 1
Result: UVA Wise 3, Elizabeth City State 0
Records: UVA Wise (2-2); Fairmont State (3-0), Elizabeth City State (0-4)
VS. FAIRMONT STATE
- FSU took the early lead, only to see the Cavs go on a 9-3 run to take the 15-9 lead. The Falcons would cut it to three, but a
Mia Poag kill and an ace by
Kadence Dalton extended the lead to five and the Cavs never looked back in the 25-20 win.
- FSU quickly gained momentum in the second set with a 6-0 scoring run that put them ahead 7-2. The Highland Cavaliers showed resilience as
Riley Brandon (five kills) and Poag (four) each recorded multiple kills as UVA Wise tried to battle back but were unable to make up the deficit as FSU went on for the 25-16 win.
- Once again, Fairmont State quickly shot out to a 6-0 lead. UVA Wise would cut the lead to six multiple times but were unable to overcome the slow start as they fell 25-16.
- The Falcons took an early 5-2 lead, but UVA Wise battled back to tie the set at 13-13. The teams then traded points for the next few rallies. After the Cavs took a 23-22 lead, the Falcons rallied to close out the set with three points off of two consecutive kills, securing a narrow 25-23 victory.
- Suddeth led the team with 46 assists and added 16 digs in four sets. Brandon contributed 14 kills and accumulated a total of 15 points.
Abigail Curtis provided a defensive boost with 29 digs over the match. Poag tallied 16 kills, leading the team with 16 points.
VS ELIZABETH CITY STATE
- In the first meeting between the two schools, opened with with a kill by
Mailea Hufnagel off the assist by Brandon. Despite some exchanges of points, the Highland Cavaliers built momentum with a 5-2 lead, highlighted by a service ace from
Piper Suddeth. The Cavs would push their lead to10-3 and extend it further as they claimed a decisive 25-11 victory in the first set.
- UVA Wise secured a 25-19 victory over the Vikings in Set 2, marked by a strong start and key contributions from several players. They took the early 3-0 lead only to see the Vikings rally back and take a 7-5 lead of their own. The Cavs responded with a run of their own, including two service aces from Suddeth, to regain control at 16-13.
Isabella Baylor and Poag provided offensive support with multiple kills, while
Madilyn Pardue effectively set up her teammates, contributing to the closing stretch where UVA Wise won seven of the final 10 points to seal the set.
- In Set 3, the Cavaliers gained an early advantage, highlighted by Pardue's consecutive service aces to establish an 8-4 lead over the Vikings. Suddeth facilitated multiple successful attacks, aiding in a 6-0 run that extended the Cavs' lead to 17-8. Elizabeth City State attempted a comeback and narrowed the gap to 23-22. However, the Cavs capitalized on crucial attack errors by ECSU, securing the set and the match with a 25-22 victory.
Suddeth delivered six service aces and added 18 assists, while
Abigail Curtis recorded 12 digs. Petersen achieved a .833 hitting percentage with five kills on six attempts and collected three total blocks. Poag posted eight kills and secured 11 digs, leading the team with 10 total points.
UP NEXT
The Cavs will now return home for both their home opener and South Atlantic Conference opener on Tuesday against Carson-Newman. First serve is set for 7 p.m.
