BRIDGEWATER, Va. -- The No. 8-seeded Randolph WildCats volleyball team saw its 2026 Old Dominion Athletic Conference tournament run come to an end, closing out its season in postseason play for the first time since 2019. The WildCats put up a fight but were ultimately outmatched by the nationally ranked, No. 1-seeded Bridgewater Eagles, falling in straight sets, 25-17, 25-14, 25-21. Bridgewater advances to the tournament semifinals.
Alyssa Thompson and
Destanie Ambers paced the 'Cats with eight kills apiece. Thompson hit .286, while Ambers finished with a .292 hitting percentage.
Kelsey Bowler added six kills in the effort.
Carly Schopp led Randolph defensively with 12 digs, while
McKayla Padgett and
Ava Berger contributed four each. The WildCats totaled three blocks, with
Makayla Waiters recording two. Ambers also added eight digs on the night.
Randolph jumped out to an early 5-2 lead in the opening set before trading points with the Eagles. The WildCats extended their lead to four, but a 7-2 Bridgewater run shifted the momentum in their favor. From there, the Eagles carried that swing through the rest of the set to take the opener, 25-17. In the second set, the hosts jumped out to an early 8-2 lead. Randolph's defense responded with back-to-back points to cut the deficit to four. The teams traded pairs of points before Bridgewater closed the set with a 6-1 run to take a 2-0 lead.
The third set featured Randolph's strongest effort of the night. The WildCats opened with a 4-1 lead and later held an 8-7 edge before Bridgewater put together a run midway through the frame to take its first lead of the set. Trailing 20-13, Randolph's defense came alive once again, while kills from Bowler and Ambers helped fuel an 8-3 run to pull the WildCats within two at 23-21. However, Bridgewater ultimately halted the comeback, capitalizing on a Thompson attack error before securing the match with a game-clinching kill.
Bridgewater advances to the semifinals, where it will host No. 4-seeded Lynchburg on Thursday. Randolph closes out the 2026 campaign with a 15-15 overall record.
