Charleston, W.Va. – Charleston opened day two with a 3-1 win over Roberts Wesleyan, setting the tone with a dominant first set and closing strong in sets three and four. In the nightgame against Shepherd, every set was a toss up as UC traded points deep into extras before falling in a tight three set match. Charleston leaves the crossover with a split and sits at 5-3 heading into the IUP Invitational.
Game 1
The Basics:
Location: Wehrle Innovation Center
Score: 3-1 (25-13, 25-22, 25-17, 25-23)
Records: UC 5-2 (0-0 MEC), Roberts Wesleyan 0-8 (0-0 ECC)
How it Happened:
Charleston started day two of the tournament off really strong, taking down Roberts Wesleyan in a 3-1 battle. The Golden Eagles came out swinging in the first set, piling up 13 kills compared to just 7 from RWU and setting the tone early. Roberts wasn't going away quietly, though. They pushed back in the second set, matching UC swing for swing and sneaking past the Eagles to even things up in set 2. That spark was short-lived as Charleston quickly found its rhythm again, pulling away in set three 25-17 before grinding out a hard-fought 25-23 finish in the fourth to seal the match. The win marked Charleston's fifth of the season and showed a team that's building confidence with each outing.
Offensive Leaders were Divine Muo led the way with 9 kills, followed closely by Patrycja Majos with 8 and Julie Michalkova with 7. Setter Abby Avila kept the offense clicking all afternoon with 21 assists, while London Upchurch chipped in 11 of her own.
Defensive Leaders were Matea Cunningham anchored the back row with 11 digs, Majos added 10, and Muo wasn't far behind with 9. At the net, Muo was also a force with 4 blocks, and Sophia Knowles came up big with 3.
Game 2
The Basics:
Location: Wehrle Innovation Center
Score: 0-3 (31-29, 27-25, 25-22)
Records: UC 5-3 (0-0 MEC), Shepherd 6-1 (0-0 PSAC)
How it Happened:
Every set went down to the wire in game two of the night for Charleston, as the Golden Eagles battled hard against Shepherd. Set one opened with both teams trading kill after kill, neither willing to give an inch. UC jumped out to a 10-5 lead behind steady attacking and big blocks from Kate Strong, holding control for much of the set. The Rams rallied late, however, tying the score at 24-24 before edging out a 31-29 win in a thrilling opener.
The second set saw Charleston fall behind early 4-0, but the Eagles quickly responded with a string of kills and aces to grab the lead. The two sides traded points all the way to 19-19 and again at 24-24, forcing extra play for the second straight set. Despite the fight, Shepherd once again escaped with the narrow 27-25 decision. Determined to push the match further, UC continued to battle in set three, looking for a well-deserved breakthrough. The Rams, however, used aggressive swings down the stretch to close out the match 25-22, handing Charleston a hard-fought 3-0 defeat.
Offensive leaders for Charleston were Patrycja Majos with 14 kills, Emma Antigua with 10, and Sophia Knowles with 6. Setter Abby Avila steered the attack with 30 assists, while Chloe Fortner added 5.
Defensive leaders were Fortner who led the back row with 12 digs, followed by Divine Muo with 11 and Avila with 7. At the net, Strong paced the block with 3, Knowles added 2, and Antigua contributed 2 as well.
Up Next:
Charleston will travel to Indiana, Pennsylvania, to compete in the IUP Invitational at the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex on September 19. The Golden Eagles will open day one of the tournament with matchups against the University of Pittsburgh and host Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
