LYNCHBURG, Va. – Kicking off the night by celebrating its four seniors (Tatianna Langston, Jaelle Hinkle, McKayla Padgett and Meagan Kesler), the Randolph WildCats volleyball team delivered some late-game magic to pull off a reverse sweep and close out the regular season with a winning record for the first time since 2014. Short-handed for the match, the 'Cats took control after extra points in the third set and never looked back.
JWU grabbed the early lead in the first two sets, delivering big swings while limiting offensive errors. Randolph clawed back late to force extra points in the second set, but the deficit proved too great. A quick team huddle at the start of the third set helped change the attitude of the WildCats, who, aided by a rowdy home crowd, pushed back against the visiting Wildcats. Randolph took its first lead of the frame on a Carly Schopp ace to make it 25-24. Both teams traded the next three points to knot things up at 26 before a JWU attacking error gave Randolph the lead. Makayla Waiters followed with an ace to seal the set, and the comeback was on.
Randolph carried the momentum into the fourth, overcoming an early 10-3 deficit to battle back. Trailing 20-16 late, the 'Cats rallied behind kills from Ava Berger and Makayla Waiters to even the score before Caroline Towle delivered a service ace to give Randolph the lead. Alyssa Thompson added a kill, and a block from Waiters and Thompson sealed the 25-22 win to force a deciding fifth set. The WildCats took control from the start, opening with five straight points behind two Carly Schopp aces and kills from Gabby Fenton and Thompson. Randolph continued to pull away, with Kelsey Bowler adding two kills and Berger contributing at the service line before Fenton delivered the final point. The 15-6 fifth-set victory completed the reverse sweep and sent the WildCats into the ODAC Tournament with a winning record.
For Randolph, seniors McKayla Padgett (22 digs, four assists) and Jaelle Hinkle (12 digs, three aces) came up big when it mattered most. Both recorded season highs in digs to help fuel the comeback. Alyssa Thompson, Kelsey Bowler and Gabby Fenton each reached double figures in kills, while Carly Schopp recorded a double-double with 27 assists and 11 digs.
With the win, the WildCats reached 15 victories for the first time since 2023, when they finished the regular season 15-15 but missed the ODAC Tournament. Randolph is back in the conference tournament and will turn its attention to Bridgewater for the quarterfinals. First serve is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, at Bridgewater.
