Bryant's Double-Double Lifts Catawba Over Newberry

SALISBURY, N.C. -- Catawba swept past Newberry in three sets on Wednesday night in South Atlantic Conference volleyball action at Goodman Gym. The Catawba Indians improve to 9-8 overall and 6-5 in the SAC after a 25-19, 25-20 and 25-20 victory. The Wolves fall to 9-9 and 4-7.

Catawba got 12 kills and 13 digs from Allison Bryant and nine kills and nine digs from Kylie Morgan in the win. Bryant added two service aces. Libero Gabrielle Kuzma recorded 18 digs and Ashley Johnson had five kills and two blocks. Arianna Colon and Raytchelle Miranda each proved six kills. Setters Dara Kane and Payton Medich split duty. Kane had 19 assists and nine digs, while Medich posted 17 assists and nine digs.

An early 6-1 run in the opening set gave Catawba an 8-4 edge and the lady Indians stayed in front the rest of set. A kill from Mogan pushed the lead to 19-13 and one from Miranda made it 24-16. Miranda killed off the set point after Newberry had scored three straight.

Set two went back-and-forth early with 11 ties and four lead changes. Down 15-14, Catawba reeled off five straight points to push ahead. Bryant had a kill and her two aces in the run. Newberry scored three straight, capped by a kill from Taylor Hall to make it 21-19 before a combo block by Morgan and Jordan Gore stopped the run. Gore's kill made it 24-19 and Hall had a service error after a kill to end the set.

With the third set tied at 7-7, Morgan started a 3-0 run that gave Catawba a lead it never gave back. A Miranda kill made it 19-12 and Bryant pushed the edge to 23-16 with another kill. The match ended on a Newberry attack error.

Hall led the visitors with a dozen kills. Natasha Bannister added eight kills, while libero Amanda Berecz collected 21 digs. Setter Avery Webb posted 29 assists with 11 digs.

Catawba is at home on Saturday, hosting Anderson at 4 p.m.