Box Score Box Score

The High Point University volleyball team escaped Campbell University with the 3-2 win Tuesday night. The teams played a close match with the Panthers winning the fifth set 15-12. The Panthers were led by Big South Conference Choice Hotels Player of the Week Megan Smith who had a match-high 21 kills and a team-high 18 digs. Junior middle blocker Stephanie Wallin added 16 kills and freshman outside hitter Courtney Johnk added 14. Sophomore setter Holly Fong set a new career-high with 51 assists.

"It felt good to execute in game five," said head coach Jason Oliver. "We showed some resiliency. Campbell was really, really solid. Their middles were good and exploited some weaknesses we have. It was good to see us pull it out and execute in the fifth set. It was good experience on the road and will prepare us for Big South Conference games.

Campbell took an early lead in the first set, 17-12. The Panthers battled to within one at 17-16 on a block by Johnk and junior middle hitter Anna Lott but Campbell pulled away, scoring four straight points and taking a 21-16 lead. HPU kept battling, coming within two at 24-22 but the Camels took game one 25-22. Smith had five kills in the set.

HPU took a commanding 9-2 lead to begin the second set. The Camels would pull within six late in the set but a kill from Lott and a pair of kills from Smith would give High Point the 25-16 win. The Panthers outhit Campbell .423 to .130 in the set. Wallin had seven kills in the set.

The Panthers were down 18-15 in the thirds set when Smith got a kill off a set from Johnk. Smith followed it with another kill and Wallin added a point to tie the set at 18. The Camels rallied after a timeout to take the set 25-22. The Panthers struggled in the third set, hitting just .195 and making seven attack errors.
The teams kept it close in the fourth set, tying the score seven times including the last time at 16, before the Camels pulled away to a 20-16 lead. After a timeout by Oliver the Panthers battled back to a tie at 23. A kill by Johnk gave HPU the 24-23 advantage and Anna Lott got a kill to give the Panthers the set 25-23 and force a fifth set.

In the deciding set High Point took a 6-1 lead on a block by Lott and Wallin to force a Campbell timeout. Campbell battled back tying the score at nine. The teams traded points but High Point took a 13-12 lead into the Panthers' final timeout. An attack error by the Camels and kill from Wallin gave the Panthers the 15-12 advantage and the match win.

The Panthers will make their home debut this weekend when they host the High Point University Classic at the Millis Center. On Saturday HPU will face Davidson at 12 p.m. and Charlotte at 7 p.m. The Panthers will take on Winston-Salem State Sunday at 12 p.m. and Marshall at 7 p.m.