Highlanders Down High Point in Four

RADFORD, Va. - Behind 14 and 10 kills from Tiffany Guthrie (Littleton, Colo./Highland Ranch) and Divona Cox (Virginia Beach, Va./Cox), Radford University earned their first Big South win of 2003 with a 3-1 victory over High Point this afternoon from the Dedmon Center. Radford won by the scores of 30-26, 17-30, 30-20 and 32-30.

The win snapped a five-match slide for the Highs as they improved to 2-17 overall and 1-4 in the Big South. High Point drops to 5-19 overall and 0-6 in the Conference.

Kate McHugh and Christine German added eight kills for RU, while Sarah Gates (Hanover, Pa./Delone Catholic) had a game high 36 assists. McHugh also recorded a team best 19 digs. Allison Ainsley (Chesapeake, Va./Paint Branch) and Elizabeth Aldredge (Richmond, Va./Mills Godwin), Rachel Newton (Anderson, S.C./T.L. Hanna) and Gates chipped in with 16, 15, 13 and 12 respectively. Aldredge also had a match best four service aces.

For High Point Lindsey Pickens led the Panthers with a double double of 13 kills and 14 digs. Kamarsha Ryan and Heather Brooks each had eight kills, while Kim Anderson dug a match best 25 balls. With those eight kills, Ryan surpassed the 1,000 kill plateau and has registered 1,005 in her Panther career. Also digging the ball well for HPU were Terri Eriksen with 18, Janelle Stouffer with 16 and April Shield with 15.

After a game one that saw Radford hit .135 and High Point .111, the Panthers came out in the second game and hit .308 to lead them to a 30-17 win. In game three, RU turned the tables, hitting .372 and committing only one error to go up 2-1. Game three saw the Highlanders outhit HPU, .255 to .130. Radford had a match best 17 kills in both games three and four.

For the match, the Highlanders had 54 kills to 43 for High Point. They also had a block party, recording 28 team blocks to none for High Point. Guthrie led that party with nine blocking assists. Pickens had three solo blocks for the Panthers.

Up next for the Highlanders will be a trip to Virginia Commonwealth on Oct. 14 at 6 p.m.

Radford returns to action tomorrow at 2 p.m. when they host the High Point Panthers.

Box Score