HPU Volleyball: Heldt Posts 20 Kills in Loss to Charlotte at Wildcat Classic

• Senior Kristin Heldt posted a double-double for the fourth-straight match with 20 kills and 11 digs.
• Freshman Haley Barnes tallied career highs in kills (17) and digs (9).
• High Point is 2-5 on the season.

DAVIDSON, N.C. – Senior Kristin Heldt hit .400 with 20 kills but it wasn’t enough to lift the High Point University volleyball team past Charlotte on Friday in the opening match of the Davidson Wildcat Classic. The 49ers won the match 3-1 (25-16, 28-30, 25-23, 25-23).

Heldt led four Panther attackers in double-digit kills with 20. Freshman Haley Barnes added a career-high 17 kills, sophomore Megan Kennedy tallied 11 kills and freshman Camryn Freiberg added 10 kills. Heldt had a double-double for the fourth straight match with 11 digs to go with her 20 kills. Junior Gabi Mirand also had a double-double with 56 assists and 10 digs.

Charlotte also had four attackers with double-figure kills, ked by Irem Asci with 18.

The Panthers hit .271 as a team while Charlotte hit .297.

HPU never found a rhythm in the first set, falling 25-16. They rebounded in the second set with an impressive 30-28 victory. Heldt had three-straight kills to tie the frame 21-21. The set was tied five more times before Heldt put down the final two points for the 30-28 win.

The 49ers just barely edged High Point in the final two sets, winning each frame by two points.

High Point (2-5) is back in action at 10 a.m. on Saturday against UNC Wilmington. The Seahawks are 7-1 on the season and face Davidson in the late game on Friday.