Boone, North Carolina (State) – The Gardner-Webb University volleyball team lost both games of a non-league doubleheader Friday afternoon, with a 3-0 loss to Kennesaw State and a 3-0 loss to East Tennessee State in the Mountaineer Classic.
Despite a strong comeback in the second set, it was not enough in the first match of the day against Kennesaw State. The Runnin’ Bulldogs lost the first set 25-16 before taking a close second set. In the second, Gardner-Webb used a 7-0 run to briefly take a 17-15 lead after initially trailing 10-4. This quick run was initiated by a series of consecutive attack errors by Kennesaw State.
The Owls finally prevailed with a 25-21 victory in the second round before deciding the game with a 25-12 victory in the third round. Overall, the graduates were Alivia Rew and newbie Isabel Sandstrum led the Runnin’ Bulldogs with five kills each.
Late in the game, the Runnin’ Bulldogs stayed close in the first and third sets before the Buccaneers closed the match out. Gardner-Webb trailed for most of the first set before catching up and cutting the deficit to 23-19. From there, ESTU took the final two points.
After trailing 0-2, the third set went the full distance, with GWU losing 25-27. The Runnin’ Bulldogs kept up the pressure, ETSU tried three times on match point before Gardner-Webb tied the score at 25-25. ETSU took the last two points of the match and finished the match 3-0.
Redshirt sophomore Clayton White and Milla Lugo Sandstrum joined the Red-Blacks with four kills, the highest value of his team.
The Runnin’ Bulldogs conclude the Mountainer Classic on Saturday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. against host Appalachian State.
