Liberty University
11-9, 6-2
Charleston Southern
10-12, 5-1
Liberty Takes Dramatic 3-2 Match at CSU, Wins 6th in a Row
10/15/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Liberty ran its winning streak to six matches, posting a 3-2 (25-18, 12-25, 23-25, 25-19, 15-13) comeback win at conference-leading Charleston Southern, Saturday.
The Lady Flames (11-9, 6-2 Big South) won in five sets for the second day in a row, after downing PC last night. Charleston Southern (10-12, 5-1 Big South) sustained its first Big South loss of the season. Liberty is now 4-1 in five-set matches in Big South play.
For the match, CSU held a .195-.174 advantage in hitting percentage. The Buccaneers also led, 12-8 in blocks and 84-83 in digs. Liberty led, 65-55 in kills and 7-4 in service aces.
Leah Clayton scored a career-high 24 kills, adding 19 digs for her seventh double-double. Gabrielle Vess and Anna Gragg sent down 10 kills apiece, while Anna Willey dished out a match-high 50 assists. Sirena Vorster recorded nine kills and three aces. Michelle Melendez tied her career high with 22 digs, while Margaret Latchford collected 17 digs.
Addison Kaderli led CSU with 17 kills, while Connor Malone totaled 12 kills and five blocks. Rachel Smith contributed 46 assists and 13 digs, while Madison Martin collected a match-high 23 digs. Taylor Allman collected 20 digs, while Brooke Monssen posted six blocks.
The Buccaneers held a 17-14 lead in set one following a kill by Klein. Gragg then scored four kills during an 8-0 Liberty rally, as the Lady Flames took control of the set. All told, Liberty outscored the Buccaneers, 11-1, over the last 12 serves.
The opening set saw Liberty outhit the Buccaneers, .268-.050, as Gragg led with five kills.
CSU raced to a 25-12 victory in the second set, outhitting the Lady Flames, .448-.030. Western led all players with five set-two kills.
Liberty rallied from a 20-16 deficit in set three, tying it at 20-all with a kill by Gragg. Malone then scored back-to-back kills, before the Lady Flames tied it with a pair of winners. Western scored a kill on each of Liberty's next two serves, and an error gave CSU the 25-23 win.
During the third session, CSU led, .289-.195, while the Buccaneers posted four blocks. Clayton scored a set-best seven kills.
The Lady Flames led set four, 20-16, after a kill by Vorster. CSU scored the next two points, before Liberty closed the set on a 5-1 run to take a 25-19 decision and force a fifth set.
Liberty held a slight, .148-.115 edge in hitting percentage during the fourth session, with the Buccaneers posting four blocks. Clayton scored six kills for the Lady Flames.
CSU led set five, 9-7, when Macey Laporte served up an ace. With Liberty trailing, 10-8, back-to-back blocks by Vess and Gragg tied the set, and Payton Carter then served an ace. Clayton later scored all three Lady Flame kills during a 3-1, match-clinching run as Liberty won, 15-13.
The visitors hit .238 during the final stanza, compared to .133 for the hosts, as Liberty posted three blocks. Clayton scored four set-five kills.
The Lady Flames begin the second half of conference play next weekend, beginning on Friday at 7 p.m. when they take on Winthrop in Rock Hill, S.C. The following day, Liberty will compete at Gardner-Webb, with a 4 p.m. first serve scheduled.
