For immediate release – 9/24/2015 - #044
Randolph VB Goes to Four before Falling to Knights

BUENA VISTA, VA – The Randolph College volleyball team pushed Southern Virginia University to a fourth set, before falling 24-26, 18-25, 25-23, and 20-25 in nonconference action on Thursday night. 

The first set was played closely by both teams.  With the score tied at six-all, the Knights went on a five-point run, but the WildCats responded right away with their own to tie the score.  SVU then notched three points, and following a Noelle Wojciechowski kill, the 'Cats tied it up again at 14.  The game continued to follow that pattern, as Southern Virginia went up 19-14, before Randolph came back with four straight, including another Wojciechowski kill and an ace by Cassie Maddox.  The last points went back and forth, as there were four ties, before the Knights won the last three to take the set 26-24.

Randolph jumped out to a quick 4-2 lead in the second set, before the Knights went on a run to push their own advantage to three.  The 'Cats came back to within one, but SVU notched seven of the next 10 to take a six point lead.  Southern Virginia extended it and eventually won the set 25-18.

Brooks Gillerlain came out firing in the third, with three aces to help give Randolph a 4-0 lead.  While the Knights continued to come back, the WildCats used well-placed kills from Jasmine Tapscott (playing in her first match), Rebecca Lesnak, and two by Alex Mariona to take back a three-point advantage at 10-7.  The 'Cats took an 18-14 lead following kills by Mariona and Wojciechowski.  Randolph kept the lead until the Knights made a late comeback attempt.  The score eventually was tied at 23, but the WildCats sealed the game shortly after.

In the fourth, SVU came out quickly, but as had been the case all night, Randolph responded.  The game continued to go back and forth through the first 30 points as neither team had a lead larger than two.  Following a Brittany Nicholson kill, the 'Cats found themselves down one at 16-15, but the Knights used a key-timed run to go up six.  The WildCats scored four out of five to cut the deficit to three, but Southern Virginia finished the game and match off.

Mariona finished with 11 kills in the match while Nicholson added a career-high nine, hitting .400.  Gillerlain once again was back in the high 20's for assists, as she finished with 27.  Libero Elisabeth Price added 11 digs in the loss.

Allison Tiegs and Hannah Phillips recorded 17 and 12 kills respectively for SVU (4-9 overall).  Valerie Baety assisted on a game-high 40 kills, and she was one of five different Knights with double-digit digs.

Randolph (2-12) returns home after a short two-game road swing.  The WildCats will take on St. Mary's (Md.) College at 7 p.m. on Friday.  The match will be the first Randolph Athletics event of Family Weekend.

###