CSU Downs Gardner-Webb 3-1 in Big South Play

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Charleston Southern made it back-to-back Big South wins with a 3-1 victory (25-19, 28-30, 25-11, 25-19) over the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs, Friday at CSU Field House.  The Bucs survived a tough 30-28 defeat in the second set, to go on to dominate the next two, after 10 service aces and 13 blocks as a team.  CSU improved to 13-14 with a 4-8 mark in the Big South, while Gardner-Webb dropped to 11-16 and 3-7 in the conference.  

Amanda Hill led all players with 21 kills, while also tallying 18 digs.  Sam Sasan just missed out on a triple-double, recording 42 assists, 15 digs and nine kills.  Tricia Rodl also had a solid match with 21 digs and four service aces, while Cori Holeman and Amberle Trinder both contributed with six blocks.  Molly Rhyne led the way for the Bulldogs with 16 kills.

CSU could do no wrong to start the first set, jumping out to a 12-1 lead, complete with aces from Rodl and Hill.  Gardner-Webb climbed back into it however, cutting the deficit to six at the 15-9 mark on a Laura Wilcox kill.  After a 17-12 score, the Bucs managed four unanswered points to put the match out of reach, capped off by a Holeman kill.  CSU was made an eventual 25-19 winner, thanks to Nichole Diller sending down her third kill of the set.  

The second set was a toss up, with the Bulldogs coming out on top after 14 ties and nine lead changes.  Gardner-Webb took an early lead to start, after a Brett Wilson ace made it 4-1, but the Bucs quickly tied it at 4-4 on a kill from Hill. The Bulldogs used another 4-0 run to go up 8-4, only to have CSU battle back to tie it at the 12-12 mark.  Both teams traded points out to a 17-17 score and the Bucs used a pair of Gardner-Webb miscues to establish a two point advantage at 21-19.  Each team had three opportunities to win it with a single point in the end, but it was the Bulldogs who capitalized with a kill from Rhyne to win it at 30-28.  

The third set was more one-sided, with CSU getting up early and staying on top.  A pair of Emily Libertowski aces had the Bucs leading 9-2 early on and CSU extended the margin to 15-6.  Gardner-Webb managed a few more points, but couldn’t slow down the Bucs, who used three kills from Hill in the final four points to take a 25-11 win.  

With the victory in sight, CSU had another quick start, taking a 7-3 lead in the fourth set.  The Bulldogs made a game out of it however, coming back to tie it at 11 apiece.  Five ties would follow out to a 17-17 score, but the Bucs never surrendered the lead.  A 4-0 burst proved to be the difference, as CSU went on top 21-17 thanks to a Crissy Skokan kill.  Gardner-Webb tallied two consecutive points, but would not score again and Michaela Luna sent down an ace that made the Bucs 25-19 winners.

CSU will turnaround to host the league leading UNC Asheville Bulldogs on Saturday, October 31, at 2 p.m. Gardner-Webb also plays UNC Asheville next, but will wait to play on Tuesday, November 3, at 7 p.m. in Paul Porter Arena.