Site: Rock Hill, S.C. (Winthrop Coliseum)
Score: Winthrop 3, High Point 0 (26-24, 25-16, 25-20)
Records: WU: 14-4 (6-0 Big South), HPU: 13-9 (5-1 Big South)
 
Next HPU Event: Saturday, Oct. 18 -- at Gardner-Webb (Boiling Springs, N.C.), 2 p.m.
 
ROCK HILL, S.C. -- The High Point University volleyball team lost a Big South contest for the first time this season, falling in straight sets to Winthrop University. The loss ended HPU's five-match winning streak and unbeaten conference run. It's only the seventh time High Point has been held without taking a set this year.
 
The Panthers wasted no time getting things going in the first set, going on a nine-point run to open a 13-3 lead early on. Junior Abby Bottomley played a key role in the run, picking up back-to-back service aces on either side of a Winthrop timeout. She would add one more ace in the third set to pick up three of the team's four.
 
The Eagles went on a 9-3 run to pull within three at 18-15. HPU won the race to 20 two points later thanks to a kill from freshman Maggie Salley and a Winthrop attack error. Salley finished the match with a team-high 10 kills in the match.
 
HPU just couldn't shake the Eagles, as the hosts were able to take the lead late, 23-22. High Point regained the lead once but couldn't hold it, as Winthrop fought back to take it in extra points, 26-24.
 
"I thought we came out focused and determined, but we've been shutting the engines off halfway through the first set the last few matches," head coach Ryan Meek said. "Winthrop did a fantastic job capitalizing on that and made things hard for us the rest of the match."
 
Winthrop took an early lead in the second set and held onto it for most of the set's beginning. The Panthers were able to knot it at 7-7 and then again at 9-9 before WU pulled away again. High Point wasn't able to close the gap, with the Eagles taking a 2-0 lead in the match with a 25-16 victory in the second set.
 
Neither team could gain much traction to start the third, with HPU opening the set's largest lead at 8-5. The Panthers' defense was getting the job done early, holding Winthrop to a .000 hitting percentage at 10-6 when the Eagles called timeout. Winthrop came back to tie the set at 15-15 before taking the lead as part of a five-point run. The Panthers wouldn't give up without a fight, coming back to tie the set at 18-18. The comeback attempt wasn't enough as Winthrop went on a 6-1 run to take the final set 25-20 and the match 3-0.
 
The Eagles' defense played a large role in their victory, picking up 11 blocks and holding High Point to a .113 hitting percentage, the Panthers' lowest since playing second-ranked Nebraska.
 
"We've been preaching that we've got to limit our unforced errors and unfortunately they bit us again tonight," Meek continued. "We need to regroup before we play a scrappy Gardener-Webb team tomorrow."
 
HPU is back in action tomorrow, Oct. 19 at Gardner-Webb. First serve against the Runnin' Bulldogs is scheduled for 2 p.m.