The Furman Paladins (4-4) welcomed the visiting Presbyterian Blue Hose (3-7) to Alley Gym in a mid-week showdown on Wednesday, Sept. 18. The Blue Hose made the short trip up the road from Clinton, S.C. with upset on their minds and a losing streak to snap. The Paladins were looking to defend their home court and get back to winning ways after dropping their previous match to Georgia Southern in straight sets.
The first set could not have started better for the Blue Hose, who jumped out to an early lead and held all the momentum. Looking to settle her team down, Paladin head coach Michelle Young called a timeout early in the first set. Following the timeout, the Dins showed a bit more energy and cohesiveness, but it was too late as Presbyterian coasted to a 25-15 first set victory.
The Blue Hose’s early domination was led by sophomore Courtney Williams, who went on to record a new career-high with 16 kills in the match. Aside from Williams, many defensive plays and strong net play overwhelmed the Paladins.
However, as the teams switched sides to begin the second set, all the momentum switched alongside them. As the second set got underway, the Paladin offensive onslaught began, led by a multitude of Paladins. Seniors Chandler Parker and Genevieve Perry both had double-digit kills with 11 and 10 respectively;, while fifth-year Mary Beth Headley, senior Ava Augustson, and sophomore Izzy Castelloe each added nine of their own.
In a back-and-forth second set, the Dins came out on top in a narrow 25-23 decision. From that point on, it was all Paladins in Alley Gym. Furman’s passionate defensive plays transitioned to easy kills that demoralized the Blue Hose down the stretch. Augustson led the team with 16 digs, while sophomore libero Kennedy Seekford added 14 of her own.
The Dins went on to dominated both the third and fourth sets in 25-19 and 25-16 victories, respectively. With the win, the Paladins move to a game over the .500 mark at 5-4, while Presbyterian’s early season struggles continue as they drop to 2-8.
The Furman Paladins will be back in action at Alley Gym on Saturday, Sept. 21, when the neighboring Clemson Tigers come to town. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
