GAFFNEY, S.C. – Senior Madysen Williams (Antioch, Tenn.) posted 17 kills for a .306 attack percentage while freshman Paige Gardella (Sugar Grove, Ill.) dished out 27 assists as the Limestone University women's volleyball team ended a five-match skid with a 3-0 sweep over Newberry College on Saturday.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Limestone 3, Newberry 0
Set Scores: 25-22, 25-14, 25-23
Records: Limestone (6-8, 3-6), Newberry (8-7, 3-5)
Location: Timken Center
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
 

• Williams tallied a season-high 17 kills to go with eight digs, a solo block, and two block assists
• Gardella finished with a match-best 27 assists in addition to two digs and a service ace
• Freshman Josie Curran (Westerville, Ohio) added 10 kills for a .300 attack percentage
• Senior Gabby Wessels (Watseka, Ill.) recorded 17 digs and three assists
• Junior Abbey Baker (York, S.C.) logged 10 digs and eight assists for the Saints
• Senior Vanessa Blas (Concord, N.C.) chipped in six kills, a pair of aces, and a solo block
• Senior Madeline Yeager (Sacramento, Calif.) had four kills and four block assists
• Senior Calleen Soper (Morris, Ill.) tacked on three kills, three digs, and two assisted blocks
• Limestone hit .183 as a team, but posted a .324 attack percentage in a dominant second set
• The Saints limited Newberry to a .037 attack percentage on the night

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Set
 
The Wolves took control early in the opening frame, jumping out to a 4-1 lead, before three straight kills by Williams highlighted a 3-1 spurt as Limestone closed the gap to 5-4. Newberry appeared as if it might pull away a few moments later, using an 8-4 stretch to extend its margin to 13-8 midway through the set.
 
The Saints forced more than a few errors by the Wolves to start chipping away before eventually taking a late lead and then the set win behind a 17-9 counterattack. Curran and Yeager combined for five kills during that span while a pair of service aces from Blas fueled the rally as Limestone took set one, 25-22.
 
Second Set
 
An attack from Blas got the Blue and Gold rolling in the second set before a kill by Curran and two straight blasts from Williams staked the Saints to a quick 6-2 advantage. Newberry closed to within two, 6-4, but Limestone responded with an 11-4 surge over the next couple of minutes to double it up, 14-7.
 
The Wolves rallied with four of the next five points, closing the gap to 15-11, but Williams sparked a 10-3 spurt with a monstrous swing as Limestone pulled ahead 2-0 in the match with a 25-14 win. Williams finished with five kills during the decisive run while Soper and Blas each added an attack of their own.
 
Third Set
 
Limestone again got off to a hot start in the third, using two kills from Curran and an attack by Williams to build up an early 6-3 cushion. However, Newberry came storming back on the heels of a 9-3 run before the Saints replied as kills from Yeager and Blas bookended an ace from Gardella to even things up at 12.
 
The Saints and Wolves went blow-for-blow as they split the next 12 points, but the Blue and Gold would break the 18-all tie with a 3-1 run as a kill from senior Madyson Lousignont (Las Vegas, Nev.) put the home team on top, 21-19. Newberry again tied the set with two straight points, but assisted blocks from Soper and Yeager followed by a pair of kills from Blas and one by Williams sealed the match win, 25-23.
 
TURNING POINT
 
Limestone used a big 17-9 run to mount a comeback win in the opening set before taking control of the match behind surges of 11-4 and 10-3 in the second. Although the teams would go back-and-forth in the third frame, the Saints effectively used smaller runs to pull out the narrow victory and the match sweep.
 
NOTABLES
 

• Limestone has won each of its last two meetings against Newberry
• The Saints finished with two solo blocks and eight assisted blocks for a total of six blocks
• Lousignont recorded two kills, four digs, and an assist
• The Blue and Gold held the Wolves to a -.059 attack percentage in the second set
• Limestone had some tremendous digs and points through the late afternoon match

 
UP NEXT
 
Limestone kicks off a five-match road swing on Tuesday, October 12, when it travels up I-85 to take on Queens University of Charlotte. First serve is set for 7 p.m.