WASHINGTON, D.C. – The High Point University Panthers played in their first Thursday night game of the season on the road at Howard University. After struggling to click at the right time, High Point fell to the Bison, 3-0.
Site: The Burr
Score: High Point 0, Howard 3
Records: High Point (2-7), Howard (6-3)
How it Happened:
Throughout the game, Howard showed size and athleticism. The Bison utilized their middle blockers well and proved to be a strong serving team. In set one the Panthers got off to a slow start and trailed early, 7-4.
Remy Catojo set up
Addison Freeland and
Gia Padilla help HPU tie the set at seven all.
High Point was unable to get over the edge to take a lead and remained steadily behind by three points through the next exchanges. Three attack errors by the Panthers gave the Bison their largest lead thus far of the set at 20-15. High Point soon trailed 22-16 but a service into the net by Howard gave HPU the point and serve back.
A double block followed by a kill on the outside from Élodie Lalonde and a
Kea Whillock service ace cut the game to within two points at 22-20. The Bison held a two-point lead at 24-22 as Lalonde fended off set point with a kill. She led the team with five kills in the first set.
Howard secured set one with a kill to go up 1-0 with a 25-22 win.
High Point continued to trail Howard in set two, going down 5-2. The Panthers took their first lead 8-7 with an attack error from the Bison and then set out on a 5-0 trek to go up 13-9. Freeland played a large part in making the run, picking up a middle block and two power kills from the middle.
Howard regrouped and took back the lead, going on a 7-0 run of their own after placing hits in the spots that the Panthers were not. The Bison kept the momentum and went on to take the set 25-17 and lead the match 2-0.
In set three, High Point struggled on serve receive as the Bison scored seven of their points alone off service aces.
Fans witnessed a Catojo kill on the right side early in the set to make it a 3-3 nod. Freeland's eighth kill of the night kept HPU within a point of the Bison at 7-6. Following Freeland's kill, Howard went on a deep run and took a 10-point lead at 16-6. Howard then stretched to a 19-8 lead.
The Panthers turned it around and gave Howard a scare with an 11-2 run after putting down five kills as a team. Trailing 19-16, High Point wasn't going down without a fight. A tip at the net from Holloway made it 22-20.
Howard was able to put away the match with three straight points to end the set, 25-20.
Extra Stats:
- Lalonde led the team with 11 kills on a .360 hitting night with six digs.
- Freeland added four blocks with her eight kills.
- Padilla picked up a team-high 15 digs.
- HPU registered one service ace to Howard's 11.
UP NEXT:
High Point travels over to UMBC on Friday, September 19 for a matchup at 6:00 p.m. Follow along with live updates on X (@HPUVB).
#GoHPU
