The Citadel 3, Savannah State 0
Savannah, Ga. – Katie Briggs drove home a team-high seven kills and was responsible for five assisted blocks as The Citadel completed its third sweep of the season with a 25-16, 25-18, 25-23 victory over Savannah State on Wednesday evening.

Briggs, one of nine Bulldogs to record a kill in the contest, committed just two errors in 12 attacks to finish with a .417 attack percentage. She was joined offensively by the front row combination of Bailey Kernodle and Lauren Hurt, who added four kills apiece.

The Citadel (4-11) limited Savannah State's offensive production due in large part the combination of 12 digs by Erin Bucherl and the front row blocking of Briggs and Rachel Keefer, who were responsible in the Dogs' 14-0 edge in assisted blocks.

Savannah State (0-16) was led offensively by the combination of Justice Dilworth (seven kills) and Bianca Brochu (six). The Tigers drove home 26 kills as a unit, however 22 errors proved to be their demise as they finished with a .045 attack percentage. The defense was anchored by the play of Bridgette Stephens (11 digs) and Bryana Gadis (eight).

The Bulldogs got off to a quick start in the first set as they jumped out to a 9-2 lead behind two kills and two service aces by Hurt. Savannah State methodically chipped away at that seven-point deficit with a 13-6 run, making for 16-15 contest following a series of kills by Brochu and Asiha Williams. The combination of four unforced errors by the Tigers and two kills each by Briggs and Kernodle over the duration of the set allowed the Cadets to complete the 25-16 victory.

Savannah State matched The Citadel's intensity in the second set as the two teams fought through two early ties to reach a 9-9 impasse on a kill by Briggs. That sparked a 5-2 run by the Bulldogs, which included two Kernodle service aces, only to have the Tigers eventually draw even at 14-14. After gaining a slim lead following a Savannah State error, Keefer accounted for six straight points as the Dogs moved back in front 21-15. The Cadets allowed just two points throughout the rest of the set and completed the 25-18 win following consecutive kills by Kernodle and Briggs.

The back-and-forth battled continued into the third set as Savannah State eventually gained a two-point advantage, 13-11, following six ties in the first 22 points. The Tigers stretched that lead to four, 16-12, on a kill by Dilworth, only to witness an 8-4 run by The Citadel that knotted the set at 20-20. Savannah State refused to go away as the match reached an eventual 23-23 tie on kills by Brochu and Keefer, forcing the Tigers to call their final timeout. Ise d'Angelo delivered a timely kill for the Dogs that was quickly followed an attack error by Dilworth, as The Citadel completed the 25-23 sweep.

The Citadel begins Southern Conference play this weekend at McAlister Field House when it hosts UNC Greensboro on Friday evening at 6 p.m. and Elon on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.

Arguably, the difference in the match was High Point’s ability to terminate the ball as they tallied 61 kills to UNCG’s 50. The Panthers also out-dug the Spartans 71-64 and had a slight edge in total team blocks (9.0-8.0).

Freshman outside hitter Sydney Darden led the Blue and Gold with 12 kills on 22 attempts and hit .409 in the match as she made only three errors. Senior middle hitter Olivia Humphries was next in line with nine kills on 28 swings. She would hit .214 for the contest. Defensively, sophomore libero Katherine Santiago paced the squad with 18 digs while senior libero Kellie Orewiler and senior outside hitter Karrian Chambers  also reached double digits with 12 and 11 respectively.

The first set was tied at five early before the Spartans scored four-straight points – including two aces by Orewiler – to establish a 9-5 cushion. When the lead reached 16-12, High Point was forced to call timeout. After a kill by junior setter Emily McMurtrey put UNCG ahead 19-15, the Panthers utilized their second timeout. The Spartans reached set point at 24-21, but two-straight kills pulled the visitors to within one at 24-23. After a UNCG timeout, senior middle hitter Morgan Freeman ended the frame with a kill to give the Spartans a 1-0 lead in the match.

After High Point scored the first two points of the second stanza, UNCG responded with a pair of their own to knot the score. A kill by Darden capped an 8-5 run which put the Spartans in front 10-7. The Panthers answered with four consecutive scores to take the lead, but the Blue and Gold netted nine of the next 14 points to build a 19-16 edge. UNCG would lead 20-17 on a kill by junior middle hitter Kelsey Sidney, but things went awry from there as High Point went on a 6-1 run to put itself on the verge of taking the set. The Spartans drew to within 23-22 on an attacking error by Kristin Heldt, but a ball-handling error by McMurtrey and a kill by Chelsea Davis allowed the Panthers to win the frame and tie the match.

High Point went on the aggressive to begin the third stanza as the Panthers raced out to a 12-5 advantage. However, an 8-4 run made things interesting and prompted HPU to call for timeout. The respite proved ineffective for the home side as two-straight kills made the score 18-13 in favor of the Panthers. The Blue and Gold tried to muster a rally, pulling to within 20-18 on a kill by sophomore outside hitter Lauren Betlach, but High Point settled down and was able to capture the set by a 25-21 scoreline.

The fourth frame turned out to be close in the beginning as the squad forged a 3-3 deadlock before the Panthers took a 10-7 lead on a kill from Chelsea Blanford. UNCG would tie the score at 10 after a High Point attacking error, but the Panthers pulled back in front 16-13 after an ace by Davis. That would be enough for High Point to hold off the Spartans as the Panthers won set four 25-22.

With its non-conference schedule complete, UNCG hits the road to start Southern Conference play. The Spartans will face The Citadel Friday, Sept. 27 in Charleston, S.C. before heading south to battle Georgia Southern the next day at 2 p.m.