Highlanders Close Out Regular Season with 3-1 Win Over Birmingham-Southern

RADFORD, Va. - In their home and regular season finale, Radford University, propelled by a 14-0 run in game four, defeated Birmingham-Southern, 3-1 in volleyball action from the Dedmon Center. The Highlanders won by the scores of 30-24, 23-30, 30-25 and 30-25. RU improves to 4-26 overall and 3-11 in the Big South, while the Panthers fall to 14-15, 6-8 in the Conference.

Radford's victory secured the sixth seed at the Big South Tournament in Birmingham, Ala. which will be played from Nov. 21-23. The Highs will face Winthrop in the first round at 2:00 pm on Friday.

Tiffany Guthrie (Littleton, Colo.) for the second straight match led everyone in kills with 18, while Elizabeth Aldredge (Richmond, Va.) posted her third consecutive double double with 12 kills and 11 digs and also added six assists. Sarah Gates (Hanover, Pa.) also had a double double with 40 assists and 14 digs. Defensively, Rachel Newton (Anderson, S.C.) registered a game best 17 digs, while Christine German (Virginia Beach, Va.) posted two solo blocks and four block assists and Guthrie added five block assists.

Jana Smelley and Cassie led the Panthers offensively with 14 and 12 kills respectively, with Reed also dug 13 balls. Lindsey Herzog, Sarah Martin and Rachel Malmorg also registered double digit digs with 14, 12 and 12. Setter Kyndall Waters had a match best 46 assists.

In game one, the Highlanders fell behind 1-0, but were able to score the next three points and never trailed the rest of the way. With the game notched at 10, RU used a key 4-0 spurt and led by a least three points the rest of the game, cruising to a 30-24 win.

Game two saw the Highlanders jump out to a 6-3 lead only to see the Panthers claw back into the match with a 5-0 run and take an 8-6 lead. Trailing 21-20, the Panthers went on a 6-0 run this time, courtesy of three RU attack errors and one blocking error. They would close out the game, scoring the final four points for a 30-23 win.

Radford in game three opened with a 5-2 advantage and never trailed as they went on to win 30-25. BSC would get within one on two occasions, but a 9-2 run by the Highs gave them a 28-19 cushion. After a Panther rally that cut the lead to 28-25, RU scored the final two points.

Birmingham-Southern turned the tables in the opening points of game four, running out to a 12-6 lead. That is when Radford rattled off 14-straight points to build a commanding 20-12 lead. The Panthers would chip away, closing within three twice late in the game, but RU was able to score the final two points and win the match with a 30-25 win in game four.

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