CLEMSON, S.C. – On Saturday afternoon, the Green Bay volleyball team found themselves on the losing end of a five-set thriller (25-21, 20-25, 25-17, 23-25, 6-15) with Western Carolina at the Clemson Invitational.
Hannah Vanden Berg led the Phoenix attack with a season-high 23 kills. Tiffany Paalman also contributed with a season-high 15 kills. Cora Behnke was also strong, finishing the match with 12 kills and 13 digs. Calli Gentry was also outstanding, notching season-highs in assists (47) and digs (18).
Ali Morris led the Catamounts attack with 20 kills. Western Carolina was strong at the net, blocking ten Phoenix attacks to GB's five blocks.
HOW IT HAPPENED
SET 1 | Green Bay had the advantage in the first set from the start, getting out to a 10-3 lead thanks to a pair of kills from Vanden Berg and Paalman, as well as back-to-back aces from Abby Gardner. The Phoenix used that early advantage and eventually took the set by a score of 25-21.
SET 2 | Western Carolina responded in the second set with a 25-20 win of their own to tie it up at a set a piece. The set was tied six times, lastly at 15-15 before the Catamounts took over in the second half of the stanza with a 10-5 run to close it out.
SET 3 | Green Bay had a response of their own following the second-set loss as they grabbed the third by a commanding 25-17. The attack was solid in the stanza, as GB registered a .333 attack percentage with 14 kills. The Phoenix came alive at the end of the set with a 10-3 run to close it out.
SET 4 | The fourth set was the closest of the day, with neither team able to build a lead bigger than two points until Western Carolina had a 3-0 spurt to take a 20-16 lead. However, the Phoenix would not go down without a fight. They clawed back to bring the score to 24-23, but the Catamounts got a kill from Livi Weidmann to tie it up at two sets a piece.
SET 5 | Western Carolina got off to a fast start in the fifth set and never looked back. A 9-1 run gave them a 10-3 lead that they would not relinquish.
GAME NOTES
» Green Bay had three players in double figures in kills.
» Green Bay had four players in double figures in digs.
» Gardner had a match-high three aces.
» Western Carolina finished with a .226 attack percentage compared to GB's .195.
COMING UP
Green Bay will finish the Clemson Invitational tomorrow as they take on the hosts at 1 p.m. The game will be livestreamed on ACCNX.
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