NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The Randolph WildCats women's volleyball team wrapped up its lengthy road trip on Saturday, splitting a pair of matches against Johnson & Wales (NC) and host Christopher Newport. Randolph opened the day with a thrilling 3-0 sweep of the Wildcats before falling to the Captains by the same score.
GAME ONE: 25-14, 25-18, 28-26
Randolph controlled the tempo from the opening serve, jumping out to an early 6-2 lead in the first set. After Johnson & Wales briefly closed the gap, the WildCats pulled away behind timely service aces, kills, and opponent errors to take the opening frame.
The second set saw Johnson & Wales strike first before Randolph rallied to take the lead. Despite a late push from the Wildcats, Randolph held firm to move within a set of the sweep.
The third set provided the day's most dramatic finish. Johnson & Wales held a 24-21 advantage late, but Randolph fought back to force extra points. After the Wildcats regained the lead at 26-25,
Kelsey Bowler delivered in the clutch, recording the tying kill before serving an ace to put Randolph ahead. Her next serve forced an attack error from Johnson & Wales, sealing the 28-26 victory and completing the sweep.
Bowler led the WildCats with 10 kills while adding two blocks and seven digs.
Ava Berger orchestrated the offense with 22 assists, while
Destanie Ambers contributed eight kills and nine digs. Randolph hit .295 as a team, holding Johnson & Wales to -.031.
GAME TWO: 25-16, 25-21, 25-12
Playing its second match of the day, Randolph battled back from an early deficit in the opening set before Christopher Newport responded with a decisive 12-5 run to take control.
The WildCats continued to compete in the second frame, trading points with the Captains early. However, three consecutive kills midway through the set shifted the momentum toward the hosts. Randolph battled back to within two points late, but Christopher Newport secured the final points to take a 2-0 lead.
In the third set, the Captains built an early advantage and strung together multiple scoring runs to close out the match.
Bowler again led Randolph offensively, finishing with eight kills. Ambers added seven kills and 11 digs, while Carly Schopp recorded 10 assists to direct the WildCats' offense. Caroline Towle chipped in two service aces, and McKayla Padgett reached double figures with 10 digs.
With the split, Randolph moves to 13-12 on the season. The WildCats return home Tuesday, Oct. 27, for an ODAC matchup against Shenandoah. The evening's theme is Pajama Night, with first serve scheduled for 6:30 p.m. inside Giles Gymnasium.
