Women's Volleyball

WildCats Close out Season in Thrilling Five-Set Match

Box Score

For Immediate Release – 10/29/16 - #105
WildCats Close out Season in Thrilling Five-Set Match

FERRUM, VA – The Randolph College volleyball team took on Ferrum College Saturday, in what was the season finale for the WildCats.  The two teams battled in an enthralling five-set match, but the hosts ended up winning 29-31, 25-20, 18-25, 25-23, and 13-15.

The WildCats came out strong in the first set, taking an early 6-2 lead.  Shelby Bergum, Autumn Troxell and Brooks Gillerlain all notched kills, while Olivia Pullin and Taylor Webb combined on a block.  After two by the hosts, Randolph scored three straight to extend the lead further.  Ferrum chipped away slowly at the deficit, with Bergum getting another kill to keep it at two.  Then the 'Cats pushed the advantage to 15-11, with Pullin and Taylor Webb getting kills.  However, the hosts responded to tie the score at 15-all.  Following a timeout, the Panthers continued their run, taking a 20-17 lead.  But Bergum started a run to tie the score at 20, as she slammed home two balls.  After that, the teams traded three-point runs, with Troxell tying it at 23.  Both sides then went back and forth for a long set.  Despite kills from Rebecca Lesnak and Taylor Webb (two), FC earned the win at 31-29, taking the last three points.

Set two would feature similar back and forth action throughout the early stages.  It was tied early on as Troxell posted two kills and Lesnak slammed home a Gillerlain set, however, the Panthers eventually developed a five-point lead.  The 'Cats answered, with four in a row, including two more kills from Troxell and one from Bergum.  After trading points, the WildCats used a six-nothing run to take a four-point advantage.  Taylor Webb added two kills and Gillerlain served an ace during the burst.  Randolph continued to hold the lead despite a push by the hosts.  Ferrum eventually tied it at 19, but the WildCats scored five of six to win the second.  The hitting was especially sharp, as Bergum and Lesnak each had two kills.

The 'Cats used that late momentum to start the third, scoring three of the first four.  But Ferrum showed the same resolve, taking four straight, starting what would be another tight set.  Gillerlain tallied a kill and Kennedy Webb served an ace to tie it, before points were traded.  The Panthers then retook the lead and extended it to 12-8, before a Randolph timeout.  The WildCats answered with three as Pullin and Troxell went back to back, and Gillerlain served an ace.  FC followed it by holding a two-point lead, before using a run to make it 19-13.  Taylor Webb scored out of the timeout, but the Panthers used another burst to take a commanding lead.  The 'Cats made a valiant comeback, with Gillerlain and Bergum recording a block, but Ferrum closed it out, taking a 2-1 lead.

Despite the setback, the 'Cats came out firing in the fourth.  It was 2-2 early, after Bergum and Troxell posted kills, but Randolph followed it with four straight.  Bergum, Troxell, and Taylor Webb did the damage.  Ferrum fought back, coming within two, but the WildCats rattled off five in a row, with Lauren Morgan getting a kill.  Following a single point by the hosts, Troxell completed a hat trick of kills to bring the lead to nine.  It was held there, until FC used a small burst to bring it to 18-13.  Ferrum continued to chip away at the deficit, but Lesnak and Taylor Webb made sure the match would need a fifth, as the WildCats won.

The fifth set would continue the same theme as the rest of the afternoon.  A team got a lead before a rousing comeback.  This time, the Panthers developed that lead, being up 7-1 halfway through.  However, the 'Cats answered with five of six, including a kill by Lesnak.  Ferrum came back with three straight, but once again the WildCats cut it to three, as Troxell and Pullin recorded kills.  But FC earned match point shortly after, putting the score at 14-9.  Randolph came back with four in a row, including another kill by Troxell and a block by Bergum and Taylor Webb, but the Panthers closed it out on the next point.

Troxell led four WildCats in double-figure kills with 18 on the day.  Bergum and Lesnak each added 11, while Taylor Webb had a career-high 10.  Gillerlain assisted on 47 kills on the day, bringing her season total to 763. There was also two double-doubles, as Troxell had 11 digs.  Taylor Webb posted her first career double-double with 15 digs, while her sister, Kennedy, had a team-high 21.

Hannah Helbert had a match-high 19 kills for the Panthers (15-17 overall).

Randolph (5-22) concluded its season with today's match.  It also marked the end of the WildCat career of Alex Mariona.  Mariona played great in her final match on Thursday, but was unable to play in today's season finale.

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