The University of Virginia's College at Wise Athletics

WINGATE, NC -- Some might call the 2026 UVA Wise volleyball team the "Cardiac Cavs" for all their five-set matches they've had to date (eight and counting) and the thrilling nature of those five-setters, but you can't say they aren't getting things done on the court and having a lot of "firsts" for the program this season. Tonight was another big first as they not only defeated perennial South Atlantic Conference powerhouse Wingate for the first time Friday evening in five sets, but they did it on the Bulldogs' home floor. They also notched the team's tenth conference win of the season, trying the 2015 team for most in the program's NCAA Era (2013-present) and for the sixth-most conference wins in a season in program history.

Wingate, who was ranked 21st when they edged the Highland Cavaliers 3-2 in Wise on Sept. 11, are a tough team to beat on their home floor. Several SAC schools have only won there once or twice in their history, including Anderson (twice), Newberry (once), and LMU (never). Lenoir-Rhyne and Tusculum have only done it a handful of times each since 1990.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Result: UVA Wise 3, Wingate 2
Records: UVA Wise (12-10, 10-7 SAC); Wingate (13-9, 9-8 SAC)
Location: Wingate, NC | Cuddy Arena

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
Maggy Sechrist put down two early kills for the Highland Cavaliers, and the visitors later stretched a 9-6 lead to 12-6 with back-to-back Annabelle Dowell kills and an Abigail Curtis service ace. UVA Wise stayed in front through the middle of the set, getting kills from Riley Brandon and a Mia Bradley ace for an 18-12 edge, but the Bulldogs answered to pull within 18-17 behind a Kaity Coan ace, kills from Grace Woodring and Jordan Griffin and a Cavaliers attack error. A block by Mable James and Skye Williams ended that push, and Williams then served the Highland Cavaliers through four straight points, with James, Williams and Sechrist adding kills to make it 23-17. WU scored the next two points, but a service error brought UVA WIse to set point and Sechrist finished the 25-19 set win off Olivia Amos' assist.

Second Set
The Cavaliers recovered from a 7-6 deficit in the second set when Mable James and Riley Brandon combined on a block, Skye Williams followed with a kill, and a block by James and Williams helped the Cavs move in front 10-7. Mia Bradley's kill pushed the lead to 11-8, and the teams continued to trade points while Riley Brandon added several kills to keep the Cavs ahead 17-14. The Bulldogs answered with eight straight points, using two Anya Pershin aces and kills from Rylee Tanner, Abby Mas and Grace Woodring to move ahead 22-17. James and Annabelle Dowell added late kills for UVA Wise, but WU reached set point on a Mas kill and closed the set 25-19 on a Cavs attack error.

Third Set
The Highland Cavaliers moved from 8-6 to 10-6 on back-to-back Annabelle Dowell kills before the Bulldogs answered with four straight points to tie the third set at 10-10. After an Anya Pershin service error, the Cavs added three points on Olivia Amos' serve, including her ace, to go ahead 14-10, but WU followed with a Rylee Tanner kill and two Carson Reeves kills to close to 14-13. Riley Brandon's kill gave UVA Wise the sideout at 15-13, and Skye Williams served the next five points as Dowell, Sechrist and Brandon recorded kills around a Dowell block to stretch the lead to 20-13. The Bulldogs later trimmed a 23-16 deficit to 23-21, but Mable James answered with a kill and then teamed with Amos on the block that ended the set 25-21.

Fourth Set
The Cavs started the fourth set with a Sechrist ace and a Riley Brandon kill, then stayed in front through the early exchanges before kills by Skye Williams and Mable James helped build a 10-7 lead. Brandon and Annabelle Dowell later put down back-to-back kills to extend the margin to 14-9, and Dowell's kill from Olivia Amos made it 15-11. Wingate answered with four straight points to tie the set at 15-15, and after the Highland Cavaliers twice moved back ahead, the Bulldogs used kills by Grace Woodring and Rylee Tanner plus a block from Woodring and Lillian Edwards during a push to 20-17. The Cavaliers got back within 24-21 on a Sechrist kill and a Bulldogs attack error, but Edwards closed the set with a kill to give WU a 25-21 win.

Fifth Set
The Highland Cavaliers opened the fifth set with a Sechrist kill, a Riley Brandon kill from Amos and a Bulldogs attack error to build a 3-0 lead. Skye Williams helped keep the Cavs ahead with three early kills, but WU tied the set at 8-8 on a Hailey Green ace before the Cavaliers answered with a Mia Poag kill, a Brandon-Annabelle Dowell block and an Amos ace for an 11-8 lead. The Bulldogs pulled even at 12-12 and later moved in front at 15-14 and 16-15, with Williams and Mable James kills tying the set each time. Poag put the Highland Cavaliers ahead 17-16, and after WU tied it once more, Poag and Williams closed the fifth set with back-to-back kills for a 19-17 win.

GETTING WISE
- The five set match was the eighth of the season, which marks the third-most in program history. They had ten five-set matches in the 2015 season and the school record of twelve was set in 2007.
- Riley Brandon led the Cavaliers with 16 kills and 17.0 points while adding two block assists.
- Olivia Amos finished with career-high 65 assists, 13 digs, three service aces and three block assists. The 65 assists are the second most in a single match in the program's NCAA Era (2013-present) and are tied with Cara Hamilton's 65 vs. Bluefield on Nov. 10, 2006 for sixth-most in a match in program history. The single-match record is 76 by Morgan Milligan vs. Concord on Nov. 1, 2016, but special mention has to be made of Sam Puryea on Nov. 17, 2007 in the Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament when she had 67 vs. Bryan and followed it a few hours later with 69 vs. King.
- Abigail Curtis collected a team-high 23 digs and added three assists.
- Skye Williams posted 14 kills, 16 digs, two block assists and 15.0 points.
- Maggy Sechrist had a double-double with 12 kills and 22 digs.
- Mable James and Annabelle Dowell had 12 kills apiece.
- The 74 kills and 69 assists are season-highs for the team.

UP NEXT
The long road trip for the Cavs continues as they travel to Hartsville, South Carolina, to face Coker tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. They will play at Mars Hill and Tusculum next weekend before finally returning home for the final weekend of the season where they not only face Newberry and Anderson but will also welcome a new scoreboard to the Prior Center.
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