GAFFNEY, S.C. – The Limestone University women's volleyball team combined to hit for just a .109 attacking percentage Friday night at the Timken Center, finishing the evening with 21 attack errors, as it dropped a conference match to Anderson University, 3-0, for its fifth straight loss of the 2021 campaign.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Anderson (S.C.) 3, Limestone 0
Set Scores: 25-16, 25-12, 25-18
Records: Anderson (S.C.) (11-5, 6-2), Limestone (5-8, 2-6)
Location: Timken Center
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
 

• Senior Madysen Williams (Antioch, Tenn.) finished with nine kills, five digs, and a service ace
• Freshman Josie Curran (Westerville, Ohio) added nine kills and three digs
• Freshman Paige Gardella (Sugar Grove, Ill.) dished out 14 assists to go with two digs
• Junior Abbey Baker (York, S.C.) handed out 12 assists and logged three digs
• Senior Gabby Wessels (Watseka, Ill.) recorded 14 digs on the night for the Saints
• Senior Bailey Carpenter (Lawrenceville, Ga.) tallied eight digs and an assist
• Junior Leilani Wilcox Nanai (Christchurch, New Zealand) added four kills and three digs
• Senior Vanessa Blas (Concord, N.C.) posted five kills, an assist, and an assisted block
• Senior Madyson Lousignont (Las Vegas, Nev.) chipped in three kills, three digs, and a block
• Anderson finished with an attack percentage of .327, including a .433 clip in the second set

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Set
 
The Trojans raced out to a quick 6-0 lead in the opening set before a kill from Blas put the Saints on the board, sparking a 4-2 stretch that cut the lead in half, 8-4, early on. Anderson pushed the margin to 10-4 a few moments later, but kills from Williams, Lousignont, and Blas help Limestone climb to within 13-8.
 
Following two straight points by the visitors, an attack from Curran sparked a 7-4 run as the Blue and Gold trimmed the deficit to 19-15 in the late stages. Williams and Wilcox Nanai each added a kill during that span, but the visiting Trojans would close out the set with seven of the next eight points to win, 25-16.
 
Second Set
 
A pair of kills from Blas gave Limestone an early 2-1 lead in the second set, but Anderson countered with a commanding 18-5 surge to pull out to a comfortable 20-8 cushion. Curran powered a quick 3-1 run for the Saints, cutting the lead to 20-10, but the Trojans would take a 2-0 match lead with a 25-12 set victory.
 
Third Set
 
The third set was much more evenly matched in the early going as Anderson and Limestone split the first 12 points of the frame. Curran had two big kills and Williams had one for the Blue and Gold before an attack by Wilcox Nanai staked the Saints to a 7-6 advantage. That proved to be the final lead of the night.
 
Despite kills from Williams, Curran, and Lousignont, Anderson pulled away behind a 13-4 counterattack over the next several minutes to pull in front, 19-11. The Saints fought hard to get back into it as attacks from Curran and Williams bookended a 6-2 spurt, closing the gap to 21-17 down the final stretch, but the Trojans completed the sweep in straight sets by tallying four of the last five set points to take a 25-18 win.  
 
TURNING POINT
 
Anderson took control of the match right out of the gates, opening the night on a 6-0 run, and would never really look back from there as long runs of 18-5 in the second set and 13-4 in the third secured the win for the visitors. Limestone battled back in each set, but the deficits in each frame were too large to overcome.
 
NOTABLES
 

• Senior Madeline Yeager (Sacramento, Calif.) finished with a kill and two block assists
• Limestone had three total blocks while a much taller Anderson team recorded 11 blocks
• During its current five-match skid, the Saints have won just two sets over that span

 
UP NEXT
 
The Saints will wrap up a brief two-match homestand when they host Newberry College tomorrow – Saturday, October 9 – at 4 p.m. at the Timken Center. The team will be decorating Timken pink and will be wearing pink in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness month.