HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University volleyball team opened the High Point Invitational against Ohio University on Friday night inside the Millis Center for the first home game of the season. After a battling five sets, the Panthers fell in the fifth, resulting in a 3-2 loss.
Three Panthers finished the night in double figures on the attack, led by
Eve Wilson with 14 kills (.520), and
Dylan Maberry and Élodie Lalonde each with 13. Lalonde's 13 kills were a season-high for the freshman. Maberry and Lalonde both carried from the outside position while Wilson held it down on the right side.
In set one, High Point made big strides early in the set to gain a large lead. Two kills from Lalonde and a double block with
Arica Davis helped create a 14-5 lead. The Bobcats answered with a 6-2 run, but the Panthers' added cushion helped maintain the lead.
Multiple errors from Ohio extended High Point's lead back up to nine points at 23-14. A Lalonde kill and an attack error from the Bobcats gave HPU the last two points of the set for the 25-15 win.
In set two, High Point started strong with a 7-4 lead as Maberry and Lalonde tag teamed the outside pin combining for the first five kills of the set. Ohio tied the set at eight all before exchanging points back and forth until the 17 all tie up. The Bobcats started clicking and advanced on a 6-0 run to take a 23-18 advantage. Two kills from Ohio ended the set and tied the match at 1-1.
In the third set of the night, HPU took to a five-point lead mid-way through the set at 14-9 and again at 17-12. Ohio chipped away and cut the set back to one point at 19-18 but a kill from Lalonde kept the Panthers up by two.
Both teams battled through the final points, which caused the set to go extra points. The Panthers went down 24-23 but took the lead with a Maberry kill and a service ace from
Allie Gray. The set tied at 26 all but the Bobcats were able to take the third set with a 28-26 win.
In the fourth set, the Bobcats came out flat, giving HPU another early set lead at 7-2. High Point kept pushing and led 12-6 but Ohio slowly caught back up by stacking 2-3 points at a time compared to the Panthers one.
A set error on the Panthers tied the set at 18 all. Kills from Maberry and Wilson, along with a double block from Wilson and
BayLea Sparks put the Panthers back on top at 21-18. Both teams exchanged two-point segments but HPU took the set in extra points at 26-24 to tie the match at 2-2.
It was a back-and-forth battle early in the fifth and final set. A kill from Maberry tied the set at six all. Following the tie up, the Panthers trailed by two points at 11-9. Lalonde put the Panthers within one point before a tough last four points would end the match.
Up Next:
High Point hosts Mercer University on Sunday, September 8 at 1:00 p.m. inside the Millis Center.
#GoHPU
