Box Score BOX SCORE

Four attackers had double-digit kills and the team combined for 15 blocks as the High Point University volleyball team beat Davidson Saturday 3-2. Megan Smith and Audie Gonzalez each had 13 kills and Stephanie Wallin and Courtney Johnk each had 11. Wallin also had a career-high eight blocks in the match.

“We were really pushed today by a great Davidson team,” said head coach Jason Oliver. “But we showed the fortitude and determination I knew we had all along. Every single person on the floor today made great plays for us. Every one stepped up and made the big plays when we needed them.”

The Panthers rallied after losing the first set, to win two and three. Davidson came from behind late in the fourth match to win and force a decisive fifth set. HPU won the fifth set 15-8, outhitting the Wildcats .333 to .105 in the frame. The 3-2 (22-25, 25-20, 25-21, 24-26, 15-8) lifts HPU to 4-9 on the season.

The Panthers let an early first-set lead slip away as Davidson rallied in the final points to pull out a 25-22 win. With Molly Barlow at the service line HPU went on a five-point run to lead the set 10-8. Davdison was able to side out on a kill by Sarabeth Peele but Wallin put down two straight kills to extend HPU's lead to 12-9. A Megan Smith kill kept HPU on top later in the match at 20-19 before Davidson went on a 6-3 run to end the set.

High Point led by as much as seven in the second set, taking its biggest lead of the match at 16-9. Davidson battled to stay in the match, fighting off three set points before HPU won the set 25-20 on a block by Wallin and Johnk. The Panthers had seven total kills from the middle blocker position in the second set, four from Wallin and three by Michelle Chakirelis. Wallin also had one solo block and three block assists in the frame.

With a .379 attack percentage HPU's offense controlled the third set. A solo block by Gonzalez gave the Panthers an eight-point lead at 21-13. Davidson cut the lead in half with a four point run and continued to close in cutting HPU's lead to 23-21. Smith put down her sixth kill of the day and Johnk and Chakirelis end the match with a block, giving HPU the 25-21 win.

The Panthers were again the first team to 20 points, taking a 20-16 lead in set four. The Wildcats continued their trend of coming on strong late in games with a four point run to tie the match 20-20. The Panthers never gave up the lead, taking a 24-22 advantage on a kill by Smith but two HPU errors tied the match again, 24-24. Davidson finished the set on a 4-0 run, winning 16-14 and forcing a fifth set.

Smith had three kills in the fifth set, to lead HPU to a 15-8 win. HPU jumped out to a 10-5 lead and capitalized on three Davidson errors to extend the lead to 14-8. Barlow attacked the ball at the end of a broken play, finding the court for her only kill of the match giving HPU the 15-8 win.

Maddie Simpson finished the match 52 assists, two solo blocks and three kills. Chakirelis had nine kills and three blocks and Julie Hershkowitz had a match-high 15 digs.

The Panthers will wrap up action in the Nfinity Wildcat Classic at 4:30 with a match against Eastern Michigan. EMU is 1-1 in the tournament with a win over Davidson and a loss to Boise State.