Box Score


CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Despite dropping the first two sets the University of Charleston volleyball team manufactured a three-set comeback to secure a 3-2 victory over WVIAC opponent WV Wesleyan, Wednesday evening in Eddie King Gym.

Charleston (6-9, 1-0) couldn't overcome 16 errors and sub-.110 hitting percentages in the opening sets as WV Wesleyan (5-10, 1-1) looked to be cruising to its second conference win of the season. The Golden Eagles went to the bench after set two and reemerged on the court for set three with a renewed attack as they came off the first serve blasting the ball.

Holly Sabatka (Lone Tree, CO) was the catalyst as her service efforts allowed UC to run out to a 4-0 lead they would never relinquish. Behind Sabatka's strong start the home team went to the middle of the court where Victoria Severo (Meadville, PA) prowled to put the game out of reach early. Severo vaulted her numbers for the evening with four-straight points to edge the University of Charleston to a 10-3 lead. From that point Charleston pulled away by committing just three errors en route to a 25-16 set victory that would be a sign of the comeback awaiting.

The fourth set wasn't pretty as each team booked a hitting percentage under .100, yet it would be the Golden Eagles who emerged victorious by committing just seven errors with the Bobcats recording nine that allowed for a 26-24 set win for UC.

The final frame of the night brought plenty of excitement as the two teams traded points to a 9-9 deadlock, but a block by Brenna Youlton (Chatham, Canada) and Kelsey Eby (Portland, OR) shifted the momentum for good to cap the come from behind win. The block gave UC a 13-8 advantage which they would use to close out the 15-12 final set.

For the evening, Malleri Hardison (Uniontown, PA) paced Charleston's attack with 18 kills and 14 digs with two solo blocks. Severo was nearly perfect on the evening with 13 kills in 19 attempts with just one error to help spark her team's offense. Youlton was also a double-digit scorer in the contest with 14 kills and four block assists.

UC hits the road for a tough task with their next conference contest. The team travels to nationally ranked Wheeling Jesuit on Friday, Sept. 28 for a 6:00 pm contest.