Volleyball Claims #2 Seed for SAC Tournament With Sweep of Anderson

SALISBURY, NC -- Catawba swept past visiting Anderson in South Atlantic Conference volleyball action on Saturday afternoon at Goodman Gym.  The Catawba Indians claimed the #2-seed for the upcoming league tournament, winning the match 25-20, 25-16 and 27-25 to improve to 21-6 overall and 14-4 in the SAC.  The Trojans fall to 8-22 and 4-14.

 In its final home match of the season, the two Lady Indian seniors helped Catawba to the win.  Shay Meeks (Kings Mountain, NC/Kings Mountain HS) posted a match-high 15 kills with 11 digs, two blocks and two aces, while Taylor Doss (Boonville, NC/Starmount HS) put down six kills and added two blocks.

 Catawba pulled away midway through the opening set then held off a late Anderson charge to take the early lead.  The Lady Indians used a 4-1 run to go up 14-11 after a kill from Meeks, but the Trojans closed within 20-19 late in the set.  Jordan Raye (Boonville, NC/Starmount HS) had a kill and Doss a block to move Catawba out to a 22-19 edge.  Meeks, Raye and Carson Brewer (Raleigh, NC/Middle Creek HS/Cape Fear CC) killed off the final three points for the set win.

The Lady Indians rolled in set two, hitting 50%.  Meeks had five kills in the set, while Raye and Kaitlyn Whitmer (Ferrum, VA/Franklin Co. HS) each had four.  A kill from Raye sparked a five-point run that gave the Lady Indians a 20-13 edge.  Whitmer and Doss each had two late kills to help finish off the set.

Anderson jumped out to 9-4 lead in the third set before Catawba rallied.  A kill from Shannon Gillespie (Fishers, IN) had the Trojans up 21-17, but Catawba reeled off five straight points, capped by a solo block from Whitmer to take a 22-21 lead.  Anderson fought off a pair of set points after Meeks kills, but after Meeks got Catawba to a third match point, Raye finished it off with the last of her 12 kills.

Raye just missed a second straight triple-double, finishing with 12 kills, 36 assists and seven digs.  Whitmer added 13 kills, while libero Jenny Young (Roanoke, VA/Patrick Henry HS) collected 24 digs.

Gillespie led Anderson with a dozen kills and added 15 digs.  Alix Hooker (Plant City, FL) had 11 digs and Meghan Cautero (Naples, FL) handed out 19 assists with four kills and a pair of blocks.

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