Bears Sweep Catamounts

Saturday, October 30

Macon, Ga.

3:00 PM

Mercer University

Western Carolina

10/30/2021 5:52:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

Mercer defeats Western Carolina in three straight

By: Nicole Dennis

MACON, Ga. – The Mercer Bears defeat the Western Carolina Catamounts in straight sets, improving to 10-2 in conference play.

MERCER VS. WESTERN CAROLINA

Set One (25-21) | While the Catamounts would be the first to record two points, a run of three from the Bears would give them a one-point advantage, 3-2. In this run Rayanne de Oliveira would record two kills and Annie Karle registered a service ace. Points would be traded before another run of three with a kill from Karle and a block by de Oliveira would put the Bears up by two, 11-9. The Catamounts would tie the game at 11. Two kills from de Oliveira and a kill by Brittany Major would extend the Bears lead to three, 15-12. A service ace by Lexi Uhrhan and kills by Agnieska Paskevic and de Oliveira would allow the Bears to stay in the lead by two, 19-17. The Catamounts would tie the game at 19 but kills from Karle and de Oliveira along with an attack error would put the Bears back on top, 22-20. Kills by Taylor Lynch and Jaida Howell would be two of the last three points needed for the Bears to take set one, 25-21.

Set Two (25-20) | A kill from de Oliveira would get the Bears on the board to start and a service ace from de Oliveira would tie the game at three. Back-to back kills from Howell would allow the Bears to lead by one, 5-4. The Catamounts would tie the game at five before the teams traded points with the Catamounts taking the lead of 9-8. The Bears answered immediately and went on a 7-1 run to take a five-point lead, 15-10. The run started with a block by de Oliveira and Lynch with Lynch recording two kills right after. After a kill by the Catamounts, de Oliveira and Lynch recorded another block together followed by a Catamount bad set. Kills from Major and Howell along with a block by Howell and Paskevic would put the Bears up by seven, 18-11. The teams would trade points with a run of three from the Catamounts keeping them within five, 23-19. Karle and de Oliveira would record the last two kills, ending the set in favor of the Bears.

Set Three (25-21) | The Catamounts would be the first to score but a quick run of three from the Bears allowed them to a two-point lead, 4-2. Within this run, de Oliveira and Lynch recorded a block together, de Oliveira a service ace, and Howell a kill. After the Catamounts tied the game at four, the Bears went on another run of four to take a four-point lead, 8-4. Lynch would start the run with a kill followed by a block from Howell and Paskevic, a service ace from Uhrhan, and a kill by Major. Another run of four from the Bears with a kills from Howell and Karle and a service ace from Major extended the Bears lead to six, 12-6. Points were traded with a run of three from the Catamounts allowed them to keep the set within three, 21-19. Karle, de Oliveira, and Lynch would record kills to keep the Bears lead and a block by de Oliveira would close the set giving set three and the match to the Bears.

NOTABLES

Annie Karle recorded a double-double; 11 kills and 12 digs
Lexi Uhrhan and Rayanne de Oliveira tied with two service aces each
De Oliveira led in blocks (5), Agnieska Paskevic in assists (28), and Megan Smith in digs (16)

The Bears will face Chattanooga, November 5^th at 7:00 P.M.
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