DANVILLE, Va -- The Randolph WildCats women's volleyball team continued its road trip Wednesday night with a hard-fought matchup against the Averett Cougars. In a back-and-forth contest featuring two sets decided by two points, the 'Cats came up just short, falling 3-1: 25-21, 17-25, 25-27, 26-28.
Randolph came out swinging in the opening set, hitting .237 as a team while limiting Averett to a .132 clip. The WildCats recorded 17 kills in the frame but couldn't maintain that offensive pace in set two, managing eight kills as the Cougars knotted up the match.
The third and fourth sets came down to the wire, with both teams battling through extended rallies and costly errors. Averett edged Randolph in the third set, closing out the frame with the final three points. The 'Cats responded with another strong push in set four, overcoming an early deficit to take their first lead at 23-22. Randolph later moved ahead 26-25, but the Cougars again found a way to close, scoring the final three points to secure the match.
Destanie Ambers posted another double-double, finishing with 15 kills and 16 digs. Kelsey Bowler added 11 kills, while Carly Schopp recorded 21 kills to surpass 400 on the season. McKayla Padgett matched her season high with 20 digs, surpassing the 200-dig mark for the year. Ava Berger dished out 16 assists and added three service aces.
With the loss, Randolph moves to 12-11 overall and 3-6 in ODAC play. The 'Cats wrap up their road trip Saturday, Oct. 24, with a tri-meet against Johnson & Wales and Christopher Newport in Newport News, Va. The matches are scheduled for 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively.
