HOUSTON, Texas -- The High Point University volleyball team fell to Houston on Sunday afternoon in a four-set match.
Sydney Palazzolo finished with 17 kills while
Gabrielle Idlebird notched a match-high seven blocks in her home state.Â
Site: Fertitta Center
Score: High Point 1 (25, 22, 23, 22), Houston 3 (21, 25, 25, 25)
Records: High Point (7-6, 0-0), Houston (9-2, 0-0)
Trailing 5-2 early in the first set, kills from
Ally Van Eekeren and
Dylan Maberry put the Panthers within 6-5. HPU took its first lead of the match at 8-7 after a kill from
Maria Miggins and back-to-back service aces from Maberry.
After spending most of the set trading points back and forth, High Point scored seven of the final eight points in the set to earn the 25-21 set win. Idlebird had a kill and three blocks in the run.
Houston opened up with another early lead, 8-4, in set two, but the Panthers tied the set at 10 with two Palazzolo kills.
HPU fell behind 19-14, but used a 5-2 run to get back within 21-19 with two kills from Miggins and a Miggins-Idlebird block. But the Cougars traded points with the visitors to claim the second set and tie the match.Â
The Cougars again opened the third set with a 6-2 lead, but High Point notched eight of the next 11 points to take back the 10-9 advantage. Maberry and Palazzolo each had two kills in the run.
High Point trailed 18-15, but tied up the set at 19 points apiece after a Van Eekeren kill and service ace.Â
The Panthers tied the set again at 23 after kills from
Kathryn Wesolich and Palazzolo along with another Miggins-Idlebird stuff. Houston would score the next two points to take the set, 25-23.Â
HPU opened the fourth set on a 4-0 runs with kills from Palazzolo, Miggins, and Idelbird before giving up four straight points that tied the set.Â
With the set tied at 12, the Panthers rattled off a 4-0 run before Houston responded with a 5-0 run to retake the 17-16 lead. The Cougars scored seven of the final 11 points of the match to take the 25-22 set win and 3-1 match win.
Up Next: High Point opens Big South play at Presbyterian on Friday, September 23rd, in Clinton. First serve is set for 6:00 p.m.
#GoHPU
