The Lady Bucs volleyball team had a rough night Tuesday against the Western Carolina Catamounts.
Lauren Baufield, a sophomore outside hitter, had an amazing game with 16 kills, although it was not enough to keep the Buc’s head above water. They unfortunately fell to the Catamounts after five matches.
“After the first two games it became a really unexpected loss,” said sophomore Whitney Cogburn, “We should have finished the game.”
The Bucs put the Catamounts away in the first two matches; 25-17 and 25-18. Baufield had a good match and hustled, she had many excellent slide hits and with a high vertical like hers she is almost unstoppable. She had a .290 hitting percentage for the entire game.
Freshman McKayla Barber finished with 10 kills and had the game-point kill in the first match.
The third set started promising with Barber, Baufield, Cogburn, freshman Jamie Stancliff, freshman Jen Neice and junior Amanda Youell starting. Barber got the Bucs a lead with an immediate kill following a block. The set stayed tied until Western pulled ahead at 14-13, after a time-out and block by Western the Bucs seemed distraught.
Sophomore outside hitter, Erin Ryan had a quick hit to give the team some momentum but they still lost 25-20.
Devine seemed frustrated with the start of the fourth match. Things seemed brighter with another hard slide hit and then two consecutive served points by Baufield.
One of the only aces of the game was served by Ryan, but the Bucs fell to the Catamounts again this match 25-16.
The Bucs ended with 11 kills and eight errors, while Western had 13 kills and only four errors.
The Lady Bucs came out on the court obviously disappointed that they were in their fifth match.
A tough jump serve by sophomore Dani Howe kept it close throughout the entire match.
After a time-out by Devine, the score was 6-5 with Western ahead, and the Buc fans were on their feet. Baufield fought hard with one kill after another, she had back to back kills to catch up 11 to 13, Western.
Finally a kill by Western’s middle finished the match, 15-12. ETSU finished with a total of five blocks versus Western’s nine.
The Bucs take on Radford at home Nov. 4 at 7 p.m.

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