Box Score HIGH POINT, NORTH CAROLINA – The High Point University volleyball dropped a three-set battle to JMU on Saturday night in the Millis Center.
 
The Panthers (1-4) had a back-and-forth first set with the Dukes losing 25-23. JMU took an early lead, while the Panthers came back on a 4-0 run. Freshman Maggie Salley tallied 4 kills to lead the Panthers. Senior M'Kaela White led the Dukes with 5 kills to secure the first set.
 
In the second set, the Panthers and the Dukes continued their on-court battle going point to point with each other. JMU went on several three-point runs to squash any Panther lead. Sophomore Gabrielle Idlebird led the Panthers with 2 kills, but was not able to help the team pull out a win in the second set. The Panthers fell to the Dukes 25-16.
 
In the third set the battle continued, the Panthers took a 2-0 lead to start lead. The Dukes then went on a tear going on a 6-0 run. Then Freshman Maggie Salley stopped the run with a kill down the line. Junior Abby Bottomley then continued with a service ace in the backcourt. Then the back-and-forth battled continued as the Panthers and the Dukes went point for point until Freshman Kaley Rammelsberg smashed a kill past two blockers. Salley came in with 2 service aces to swing momentum back toward the Panthers. High Point couldn't hold off the Dukes as JMU came back on 4-0 run. The Panthers were unable to capture the third set and fell 25-23. 
 
"Really proud of the way we fought back in the third set but we have to do a better job of not quitting when we are not playing well, said Coach Ryan Meek. "We have to continue to make those hustle plays.  When we accomplished those plays that made James Madison's defense step up a level and in turn ours. That is the type of play we need throughout the season. James Madison is a great team, as they were picked to win the CAA. We knew it was going to be a tough match coming in and James Madison was everything we thought they would be. You know we have another chance tomorrow to show up and show what we can do."
 
The Purple & White are back in action tomorrow in the Millis Center at noon with a match against Kennesaw State and then again at 4:30 p.m. against Furman. 
 
 
TEAM LEADERS
 

• HPU Maggie Salley, JMU M'Kaela and Sophia Davis each had 9 kills
• HPU Macy Miller collected 3 services aces
• JMU Savannah Marshall collected 2 services aces
• HPU Abby Bottomley gathered a total of 10 digs
• JMU Savannah Marshall tallied a total of 13 digs