Box Score BOX SCORE
The High Point University team won its fourth straight match and improved to 2-0 in Big South action, with a 3-1 win at Charleston Southern on Saturday. Senior
Megan Smith had a match-high 21 kills and senior
Julie Hershkowitz had a match-high 21 digs for the Panthers.
“Charleston Southern came out today and played with heart,” said head coach
Jason Oliver. “They fought us on every point. When we got things together as a team and played with synergy we looked like a team that could win the Big South Conference. We have to strive for those moments on a consistent basis.”
Freshman setter
Maddie Simpson posted 52 assists. It is her fourth straight match with at least 50 assists, and she has totaled at least 50 in six of the last seven matches.
The Panthers jumped out to an 11-4 lead, putting down their first seven attack attempts for kills, in the first set. The Buccaneers stayed in the match, tying the score at 14-14 before HPU went on a seven-point run with
Molly Barlow at the service line to take a 21-15 lead. The Panthers would win the set 25-17.
The Buccaneers took command of the second set with a 20-10 lead. The Panthers went on another seven-point run with Barlow at the service line, closing CSU's lead to 20-17 but the Buccaneers won the set 25-22 to even the match at 1-1.
The third set was a battle of attackers, with HPU squeaking past Charleston Southern 25-19. The Panthers outhit CSU .444 to .344, putting down 19 kills in the frame. CSU's Amanda Hill had a set-high nine kills but Smith had eight for HPU and
Stephanie Wallin and
Audie Gonzalez added four each to lift HPU to the 25-19 win.
High Point stayed in control in the fourth and final set, hitting .323 with 13 kills and only three errors. The Buccaneers, however, had eight kills and eight errors and the Panthers won the set 15-14.
Gonzalez finished the match with 15 kills and Wallin had 13 for the match.
The Panthers (7-9, 2-0 BSC) continue Big South action on Tuesday with a 6 p.m. match against Liberty at the Millis Center.
