Site: High Point, N.C. (Millis Center)
Score: High Point 3, Gardner-Webb 0 (25-16, 25-17, 25-10)
Records: HPU 18-5 (10-0 Big South), Gardner Webb 7-12 (4-5 Big South)
Next HPU Event: Friday, October 29, 2021 — vs. Hampton (Hampton, Va.), 5:00 PM
HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University volleyball team 3-0 swept against Gardner-Webb as HPU won its game of the homecoming weekend inside the Millis Center. With the victory, the Panthers collected their 26th consecutive Big South Win on Saturday Afternoon (Oct. 23).
Ryan Meek: “I felt like this was our most complete match from start to finish. We’ve figured out how to win but not be at our best for a complete match. I thought we did that today hitting .400 as a team and really tightening up defensively and serving as the match went on. It was a great match to end the weekend on.”
Panther Particulars
Madison Smith led the way in kills for HPU with nine and had an attacking percentage of .444 in the win.
Sopheea Mink recorded eight kills with an attacking percentage of .571 which was the highest for any Panther who played all three sets.
Sydney Palazzolo also contributed eight kills in the win as the sweep came as a product of a team effort.
After a close start in the first set, HPU was able to overpower the Runnin Bulldogs which was a theme that would carry on throughout the match. GWU trailed 6-7 to start the first set, HPU then went on a 9-0 run to take a ten-point lead, 16-6. A Mink kill capped off the 9-0 run to force a GWU timeout.
HPU took the first set 25-16.
The Panthers took the second set 25-17, HPU pulled away in the second set after a hustle play by Mackenzi Thornburg made it 20-14 in the second set.
Thornburg tracked down a ball that was heading for the stands, leaned over the scorer’s table to keep it in and Madison Smith finished the play with the kill to give HPU 20.
A Jenny Wessling ace secured the second set to give the Purple & White 25.
HPU sealed the deal in the third set after leading 5-4 the Panthers went on to an 18-3 run to get to 23-7. The Panthers closed out the set 25-10 en route to a 3-0 sweep as HPU won its 26th straight Big South conference game.
UP NEXT
HPU travels to the northmost Big South school Hampton for a Friday night (Oct. 29) match then back to North Carolina for a match against Campbell on Saturday (Oct. 30).