Catawba Knocks Off Presbyterian 3-0 in Conference Volleyball Play
SALISBURY, N.C. – Catawba defeated visiting Presbyterian in three games in South Atlantic Conference volleyball action on Saturday afternoon at Goodman Gym. The Catawba Indians won for the seventh straight time, taking the match by the scores of 30-21, 30-20 and 30-26. Catawba improves to 12-8 overall and 7-2 in the SAC, while the Lady Blue Hose fall to 7-18 and 1-8.
Freshman Mai Zoua Lo (Hickory, N.C.) served three aces in an early seven-point run that gave Catawba an 8-1 lead in the opening game. Presbyterian rallied back to within 13-10 and was down only 22-18 following a kill by sophomore Justine Lanchester (Downs, Ill.). Catawba stayed on top and used a 4-1 run to go up 26-19. Missy Bartholomew (New Carlisle, Ind.) served up an ace on game point.
Catawba scored the first four points of game two and never trailed. A kill by senior Danielle Gill (Kings Mountain, N.C.) got the Lady Blue Hose within 7-4, but Catawba went on a 9-2 run to push its lead to 16-6. Melissa Powers (Bennett, N.C.) delivered four kills and three blocks in the game for Catawba.
Another fast start set the tone for the deciding third game. Bartholomew served nine points to stake Catawba to a 12-2 edge. A Melissa Griffith (Williamsburg, Va.) kill pushed the lead to 25-13, but Presbyterian rallied late to cut the deficit to 28-26. Freshman Sarah Parker Mounce (Columbia, S.C.) had three kills in the run for PC. After seeing the lead trimmed to just two points, Kalin Collier (Rural Hall, N.C.) had a kill for Catawba and assisted with Powers on a block to end the match.
Griffith led Catawba with 11 kills and added a pair of blocks. Powers had eight kills and eight blocks. Setter Andi Henderson (Swansboro, N.C.) had 31 assists and 12 digs. Lanchester led the Lady Blue Hose with 11 kills, while Gill added nine. Jodi Palmer (Plain City, Ohio) had 18 digs and two aces.
Catawba will travel to Wingate, N.C. for a SAC match-up against league-leading Wingate University on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The Lady Blue Hose will take a much deserved rest as Presbyterian prepares for its Lady Blue Hose Tournament on Oct. 13-14. PC will square off against North Carolina Central University on Oct. 13 at 3 p.m. and take on No. 13 Florida Gulf Coast at 2 p.m. the following day.