Box Score BOX SCORE

The High Point University volleyball team fell to Big South leader UNC Asheville 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-18) Friday at the Justice Center in Asheville, N.C. The Panthers (10-11, 0-5 Big South) kept the first set close but struggled to gain momentum after dropping the first frame.

Freshman Courtney Johnk (Larkspur, Calif., Redwood) led HPU with nine kills and junior libero Julie Hershkowitz (Scottsdale, Ariz., Seton Catholic) came up with 12 digs in the match. Sophomore setter Holly Fong (Sebastopol, Calif., El Molino) put up 26 assists in the loss.

The first set was a tight battle, with the score tied as late as 19-19. The Bulldogs made only six errors, while the Panthers made eight, which was the difference in the set as Asheville took a 1-0 match advantage with the 25-21 set win. Both teams played solid defense, coming up with 14 digs.

Asheville carried the momentum in to the second set, taking a commanding 17-9 lead. The Panthers again struggled with errors but after a HPU timeout Megan Smith (Bellbrook, Ohio, Bellbrook) put down a kill and HPU battled to within four at 16-20. HPU never relented but the deficit was too much and Asheville took the second set 25-17. Smith and Johnk each put down three kills in the set but the Panthers made five attack errors and three service errors in the frame.

An early kill from Johnk had the Panthers within one point of the Bulldogs at 6-7 but Asheville went on a 11-4 run to take an 18-10 lead. The Bulldogs rolled to a 25-18 win in the third set to take the match 3-0.

The Panthers wrap up a five-game road trip Saturday at Gardner-Webb. HPU and the Bulldogs face off at 4 p.m.