Box Score

CULLOWHEE, N.C. – After defeating Western Carolina earlier this season, the Elon volleyball team was not able to repeat, falling 3-2 (21-25, 25-22, 21-25, 25-18, 13-15) in the Ramsey Center. The heartbreaking loss drops the Phoenix to 16-11 (4-7 SoCon), while the Catamounts improve to 11-16 (6-5 SoCon).
 
“Western Carolina played really hard today and deserved the victory,” said Elon head volleyball coach Mary Tendler. “We were to inconsistent throughout the match to get any rhythm going. We played pretty well in the second and fourth sets and made t  many errors in the other sets. We will work hard to put a full match together at Appalachian State tomorrow.”
 
Freshman Danielle Smith finished with a career-high 19 kills, while senior Caroline Lemke recorded 16 kills and three blocks. Senior Megan McMahon tallied a new career-high 59 assists and fell one dig short of matching another career high with 18 digs. Junior Ali Deatsch recorded 15 digs and is now only four digs shy of tying the Elon Division I individual career record for digs with 1,364.
 
The first set remained close with the Catamounts and the Phoenix trading points. After a kill by Smith tied the set at seven-all, the Catamounts scored four straight to go up 11-7. The Phoenix would then go on a 3-1 run to pull within one of WCU, 12-11. With the Catamounts up by four, 18-14, Elon was forced to call its second timeout of the set. Out of the break, two kills in three plays by freshman Kris Harris cut the Phoenix deficit to three, 19-16. WCU would claim the momentum from there and earn a 25-21 first-set win.
 
Kills by Lemke and junior Allison Johnson helped Elon to a early four-point lead, 9-5, in the second set. The Catamounts then used a five-point run to tie the score at 10. With the set tied 13-all, the maroon and gold went on a 4-1 run, which included a kill from junior Celia Rose Eddy, to take a 17-14 lead. The Phoenix held the lead at 20-16, but WCU slowly climbed back, pulling within one, 21-20. With Elon holding a  22-21 advantage, a kill by Smith and an ace by sophomore Maggie Reichard extended the maroon and gold lead to three, 24-21. The Phoenix went on to tie the match at one set apiece with a 25-22 win.
 
WCU started the third set with a 9-2 lead before the Phoenix closed the gap to five, 10-5. Down six, 16-10, Elon used kills from Smith and Harris to pull within three, 17-14. However, the Catamounts’ strong start was too much for the Phoenix to overcome as WCU went on to win the set, 25-21, and take the 2-1 match lead.
 
Elon stormed out to a 7-0 start in the fourth set off two kills each by senior Traci Stewart and junior Carly Ledbetter, an ace by Deatsch and a block by Lemke and Stewart. A kill by Smith later capped a 7-4 run by the Phoenix, which put the maroon and gold up by ten, 14-4. With Elon still up by double-digits, 22-12, the Catamounts scored six of the next seven points to cut the Phoenix lead to six, 24-18. But the Phoenix would hold on and force a deciding fifth set with a 25-18 win.
 
In the fifth and final set, a kill by Lemke and a block by Lemke and Ledbetter put the Phoenix up 6-2. From there, WCU went on a 5-1 run to tie the set at seven-all. A kill by Smith put the maroon and gold up by two, 11-9, but two unanswered from the Catamounts tied it once again, 11-11. With the set still tied, 13-all, the Catamounts took the next point for a match-point opportunity. WCU earned the final point winning the set, 15-13, for the 3-2 match victory.
 
Elon will travel to Boone, N.C., for a match at Appalachian State tomorrow, Oct. 30.