The High Point Volleyball team improved on their program record win total with a 3-0 (30-26, 30-21, 30-26) sweep over Coastal Carolina on Saturday afternoon at the Millis Athletic Center.

The Panthers trailed just once in improving to 22-7 overall and a school-record best 7-3 in Big South Conference play. The win gives HPU a season sweep over CCU, who falls to 13-16 and 5-6. With the win, High Point is also assured of finishing in the top half of the Big South standings for the first time in program history.

A quartet of High Point hitters finished with double-digit kills as HPU used a balanced offensive attack including a .231 team hitting percentage to earn the straight game victory. Junior Lindsay Raus paced the Panthers with 13 kills with senior Ashley Johnson adding 11. Junior Ashley Mellott and freshman Stephanie Wallin each chipped in 10 kills.

Defensively, HPU finished with six team blocks led by four blocks by Wallin. Freshman libero Julie Hershkowitz led the HPU backline with 13 digs, marking her 24th double-digit performance of the season.

Chelsey Kimes tallied 10 kills to lead the CCU offense and Brett Starbuck recorded 16 digs to lead all players. Megan Bickford and Nakia Thompson each posted five blocks to top the Chanticleer frontline.

"This was a great win against a tough opponent," said HPU head coach Chad Esposito. "I was really pleased with our ball control and defense today. We were able to stay in system and were efficient and balanced on offense. This was an important win because we have now earned our first Top Three finish in the Big South."

HPU scored seven of the first eight points of the first game to grab an early 7-1 lead. High Point kept the pressure on moving in front 18-10. Coastal used a 6-1 run of its own to trim the deficit to 20-16. The Panthers pushed back ahead and led 29-22 before CCU made a final charge with four straight points to make the final score, 30-26.

Coastal Carolina scored the first point of game two to earn their only lead of the contest. It was short lived as HPU scored the next two points. The score remained close until junior Lauren Hatch reeled off seven consecutive points from the service line to put HPU in front 13-4. The Chants would pull no closer than seven points the rest of the frame as the Panthers cruised to the 2-0 match lead.

Game three opened as a side out battle with the two squads trading points. HPU used a 5-1 surge to open up a slight 8-4 advantage and then continued to build their lead up to six points at 17-11. CCU refused to quit battling eventually trimming the margin to just three points at 23-20. The Panthers moved back in front at 27-21 before Coastal ran off several points to move the score to just a 28-26 High Point lead. A kill by HPU's Jamie Kaufman and a Chant setting error provided the final two points in the Panther victory.

High Point continues its four-game home stand to end the regular season on Sunday at 2 p.m. versus Charleston Southern.