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The High Point University volleyball team swept Radford 3-0 in the quarterfinals of the Big South Tournament Thursday. With the 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-14) win HPU advances to the semifinals to face No. 6 Charleston Southern.

Senior captain Audie Gonzalez had 12 kills, three aces and five digs in the win while freshman setter Maddie Simpson 36 assists, eight digs and two solo blocks.

“We did all the little things right today,” said head coach Jason Oliver. “We controlled our first touches, were able to side out at a high percentage and were very tough from the service line. We showed the focus and determination it takes to win a Big South Championship.”

The first set was a battle with four lead changes and 12 ties before Gonzalez took control of the match from the service line. With the set tied 18-18 Gonzalez put down a kill and followed it with an ace in front of Radford libero Katelyn Meeks to put the Panthers on top 20-18. The Panthers extended their lead to 23-18 before Radford was able to sideout. After a three-point rally by the Highlanders a service error set up a Panthers set point. Sophomore Molly Barlow served an ace to win the first set 25-20.

High Point took a much earlier lead in the second set, pulling ahead at 7-6 on a kill by Gonzalez. Radford stayed in the match, closing HPU's lead to two points at 21-19. Michelle Chakirelis had a kill to 22-19 and HPU rolled to a 25-20 set win. Gonzalez had five kills in the second set while Simpson had 14 assists and two solo blocks.

HPU outhit Radford .300 to .038 in the third set, getting five kills from Megan Smith and three each from Gonzalez and Chakirelis. A solo block by Courtney Johnk opened up an 8-3 lead early in the frame and the Panthers rolled to a 25-14 set win.

Smith finished the day with a match-high 13 kills and senior libero Julie Hershkowitz had 9 digs and a service ace. Chakirelis hit .583 with seven kills and two blocks and Johnk finished the match with six kills and four blocks. HPU totaled seven service aces in the win.

HPU advances to the semifinals for just the second time in program history. HPU is now 2-12 all time in the Big South Tournament, with both wins coming over the Highlanders.

The Panthers will play No. 6 Charleston Southern Friday at 4:30 p.m. HPU beat the Buccaneers twice in the regular season. CSU upset No. 3 UNC Asheville 3-0 in the quarterfinals on the Big South Tournament.