CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Fans were welcomed back into the Russell and Martha Wehrle Innovation Center for the first time in over a year. Friday brought together 5 teams from 5 different conferences with UC as the host for their first home game of the year.


THE BASICS
LOCATION: Charleston, W. Va. – Wehrle Innovation Center
SCORE: Charleston: 3, Winston Salem State: 0
RECORDS: Charleston (4-1, 0-0 MEC), Winston Salem State (0-1,0-0 CC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
 
Match 1: 12PM
The Golden Eagles hosted their annual UC Invitational and got off to hot start for the weekend against the visiting Winston Salem State Rams on Friday afternoon.
 
The action started shortly after Chowan defeated Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the first game of the day in 5 sets. Charleston looked to conserve energy for the rest of the weekend in their first match and would dominate for most of the contest.
 
The first set began with Charleston pressing their persistent offensive attack. Sophomore McKenzie Carpenter and McKenzie Damon accounted for most of the scoring early. While Winston Salem looked to improve upon some mistakes, Charleston gave them no breathing room and kept the pressure up the entire first set. UC would take the set by a score of 25-11.
 
Just like the first set UC would not let off the gas. Multiple service aces from Morgan Walter throughout the match would give UC much needed energy for the second set. This was evidenced by UC going on a 8-1 run in the middle of the set that would force the Rams to call a timeout with the score set at 15-7 UC. However, the Rams would not go down without a fight, setting up multiple blocks in a row to hold the Golden Eagle attack at bay for a few points. However, the pressure from UC would be too much for the Rams and the Golden Eagles would take the set by a score of 25-18. With the win they would move ahead 2-0 set lead in the match, looking to close out in the final set.
 
The Rams looked to claw their way back into the match in the third while the Golden Eagles wanted to find a way to close the opening event with a straight set victory. The Rams would give UC trouble by winning a few exhausting points early in the set. 3 aces late in the third by Sage Bearnson would give UC the spark they needed to close the match. The contest would end with UC going on an 8 point run highlighted by an ace from Carpenter. 3 players Carpenter, Phillips and Damon ended with 4 kills each in the final set.
 
Leaders for UC:
Kills: McKenzie Damon: 11
Digs: Morgan Walter: 13
Assists: Maria Hernandez: 32
Aces: Sage Bearnson
 
Match 2: 7 pm
LOCATION: Charleston, W. Va. – Wehrle Innovation Center
SCORE: Charleston: 2, Ohio Dominican : 3
RECORDS: Charleston (4-2, 0-0 MEC), Ohio Dominican  (4-2,0-0 GMAC)


 
The final game of the day would showcase the best two teams at the UC Invitational. The Ohio Dominican Panthers. Both teams won their first game in dominant fashion by crushing their opponents in straight sets. The two would battle it out in a match filled with momentum swings throughout as UC hoped to go 2-0 on the day.
 
The first set was as exciting as advertised with both teams duking it out throughout the first set. No team was able to gain an real hold on the set until the Panthers took a lead by score of 24-19 late in the set. The Golden Eagles would not go away quietly, however. With just one point needed to take the set, UC would find a way to battle back from the brink of defeat to tie it up at 25 a piece. Despite their best efforts, the Golden Eagles would give up back-to-back points and lose the set 27-25.
 
The girls came to the arena ready to put on a show and did not disappoint the fans who had been waiting to see Golden Eagle volleyball action for over a year. The second set was just as action packed as the first. However, unlike the last set UC was able to extend the lead late in the set to 24-20 and would not need a tie breaking point to win. The Golden Eagles won the first set by a score of 25-23.
 
With the match tied at 1 set a piece, the winner of the next would take easily the most important set of the match so far. UC looked shaky early as the Panthers would take a commanding 8-1 lead and never look back. Head coach Tyler Kanelos would use their two timeouts to try to halt the offensive assault from ODU. UC was able to claw their way back to within 4 but were unable to overcome the deficit incurred early in the set. The final score of set 3 was 25-21.
 
With a single set between the Panthers and a 2-0 day, the UC looked to respond in a big way in the fourth. They did just that by out being precise on the offensive end, cleaning up point after point. The Golden Eagles took the set 25-22 and forced a decisive 5^th set.
 
The final set. Every moment of the match has culminated to this moment. A first to 15 win by two final set would be played that would likely determine who would win the UC Invitational. The set held all the pressure that the first 4 sets had been building up to. The Golden Eagles would take an early lead and hold a 9-6 lead over the Panthers when head coach Amy Bambenek called a timeout to regroup. This timeout led to the Panthers taking a lead late in the set. UC were able to go up by as many as 12-10 before the Panthers rallied past the Golden Eagles with three straight points. Beyonce Andrews would account for the final UC point of the day. However, a service error on the next point would give ODU a 15-13 victory. Charleston moves to 4-2 on the season with both losses from UC were in 5 sets. Head coach Tyler Kanelos on the match, "I'm proud of the way our team fought against a very tough Ohio Dominican team. We will learn and grow from this defeat, I look forward to competing tomorrow afternoon against another good opponent."
 
UC Leaders:
Kills: Sage Bearnson: 15
Digs: Madison Jackson 26
Assists: Maria Hernandez 40
 
ODU Leaders:
Kills Olivia Kerksey: 18
Digs: Kelsey Shoup: 31
Assists: Carleigh Deitsch 44
 
Up Next: UC takes on Chowan University on Saturday, September 11 at 3pm in the Martha and Russell Wehrle Innovation Center.