Box Score FORT WORTH, Texas - After dropping the first two sets of their match against Villanova, High Point University volleyball roared back with back-to-back game wins to force a fifth term. The Wildcats overcame the Panthers in the deciding set 15-11 however, as HPU was forced to take a loss in its final match of the Cowtown Classic in Fort Worth.

The Panthers stayed tight with the Wildcats in the opening stages of set one with things even at seven apiece early on. Nova would pull away after going on a 12-1 run however, wrapping up the term at 25-17. The second set would work out similarly with the Wildcats pulling away 13-5, holding a lead by as much as 10 before securing a second set victory at 25-16.

High Point looked like a new team in the third however, as four straight kills from freshman Kaley Rammelsberg secured an early 5-2 lead for the Purple & White. High Point surrendered their lead later in the set after a 6-1 run by the Wildcats, before coming back to take the win. Trailing 16-13 in the potential deciding set, the Panthers responded aptly with a three-count of kills from Maggie Salley, while back-to-back finishes from Annie Sullivan tied things at 23 apiece. Falling behind by a point, HPU would force extras before reeling off the final three scores of the frame for a 27-25 victory and a cut into Nova's lead.

The fourth would see five lead changes before the Panthers took the final at 25-23. Trailing by two, the Purple & White tallied the final four points of the set thanks in part to a pair of blocks and a kill from Rammelsberg. The freshman would be a part of five blocks in that fourth term, while tallying a pair of kills, while fellow first year Annie Sullivan sat at a kill-count of 18 through the first four.

Sullivan would manage just two in the fifth and deciding set however, as the Panthers were unable to complete the match comeback after a 15-11 fifth set loss. Attacking efficiency proved to be story of the day, with the winner of the attacking percentage battle coming out on top in all five sets. Sullivan finished with a match, and career, high 20 kills on the day, while Rammelsberg completed a double-double on blocks and kills with 11 and 10 respectively. 

The Panthers stay on the road this Wednesday, looking to get to .500 with a matchup at VCU at 6 PM. High Point is yet to earn a victory over the Rams in their four all-time meetings, last playing Virginia Commonwealth at home in 2017.

#GoHPU