Liberty University
5-8, 1-0BSC
Radford
7-7, 0-1BSC
Lady Flames Snap Streaks in Conference-Opening 3-1 Win at Radford
9/25/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Liberty brought an end to a pair of streaks on Friday, downing Radford, 3-1 (25-15, 25-18, 21-25, 25-21) in both teams' Big South opener, at the Dedmon Center.
The Lady Flames (5-8, 1-0 Big South) snapped their six-match winless streak, dating back to Sept. 5. Liberty also ended Radford's (7-7, 0-1) program-record-tying 15-match home winning streak. The Highlanders' last home loss was Oct. 18, 2013 against Coastal Carolina. The Lady Flames have now won their Big South opener in 10 out of the last 11 seasons.
Liberty outhit Radford, .206-.079 for the match, as both teams recorded eight blocks. The guests won the digs battle, 69-54, while the Highlanders led, 4-2 in service aces.
Caroline Douglas led the Lady Flames with 12 kills, while Sirena Vorster posted 11 kills and three blocks. Anna Willey dished out a match-high 44 assists, while collecting eight digs and totaling three blocks.
Margaret Latchford registered a match-high 17 digs and two aces. Hannah Weidner sent down nine kills, while Jade Vorster scored eight kills. Haley Jeffcoat and Allie Reynolds collected 11 digs each.
Radford's Maddie Palmer posted her 12th double-double of the season, with a match-high 16 kills and 11 digs. Kaylor Nash (36 assists, 10 digs) also recorded a double-double. Taylor Bouras posted seven blocks, while Cheyanne James totaled eight kills, 10 digs and four blocks. Kelby Jackson collected 11 digs, while Savanna Burton had 10 digs.
The Lady Flames raced out to a 6-0 lead to start the match, never looking back during a 25-15 set-one victory. Liberty outhit the Highlanders, .308 to .000, during the opening session. Douglas and Weidner scored three kills each for the visitors, while Palmer scored four kills for Radford.
Liberty led by just two, 11-9, in set two, before boosting its lead to double-digits, 22-12, with an 11-3 run. Radford outscored Liberty, 6-3, down the stretch, but Liberty's Douglas sent down the set-clinching kill for a 25-18 win.
The visiting squad hit .226 during the second set, while Radford attacked at a -.067 pace. Liberty's Douglas and Sirena Vorster scored three kills each.
Radford responded during set three, breaking open a tight, 10-9 score by outscoring the Lady Flames, 13-8 behind five kills from Palmer. Trailing, 24-17, Liberty reeled off four straight points, including a Weidner kill to make it 24-21. However, a Highlanders block sent the match to a fourth set.
The Highlanders outhit Liberty, .171-.089 in the third session. Bouras assisted on three out of Radford's four blocks, while Palmer scored six kills.
Liberty used a 6-0 run to open up a 15-8 led in set four, with Sirena Vorster scoring two kills during the surge. The Lady Flames kept their advantage for the rest of the set, leading 24-18 after a kill by Willey. Palmer sent down three straight kills to stave off match point, before Gabrielle Vess scorched a kill to close out the 25-21 victory.
The Lady Flames hit .265 during the final frame, compared to .163 for the Highlanders, as Liberty posted four blocks.
Liberty returns to the Vines Center for its first home matches in over a month, next Friday and Saturday. Liberty will host Gardner-Webb on Friday at 7 p.m., before taking on UNC Asheville, Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Vines Center.
