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BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The No. 7 Camels will face the No. 6 Highlanders of Radford in the semifinal round of the Big South Championship on Friday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. in the Millis Center in high Point, N.C.
The match Friday night is the first time in 14 years that the Campbell volleyball team has reached the semifinals of a conference tournament. The last time the Camels reached the semifinals was on Nov. 16, 2001, when the team beat Samford 3-1 and then fell to Central Florida 1-3 in the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament.
It was 1989 when the Camels last reached the Big South Championship semifinals round in the program's fourth year of play. Campbell defeated Radford in the quarterfinals in five sets on Nov. 10, 1989, and fell the following day, Nov. 11, in straight sets to Charleston Southern, then called Baptist College, in the semifinal match.
Campbell has faced Radford twice this season and fell to the Highlanders in both games. On Oct. 10 the Camels fell in four sets when the Highlanders came to Buies Creek. Campbell took Radford to five sets on Nov. 6 but fell in five at the Dedmon Center in Radford, Va.
Jenny Tait led the Camels attack with 25 kills over both matches. Katelyn Layden contributed 22 kills, 20 digs, and four service aces. Rachel Harty led the Camels with 14 kills at Radford on Nov. 6.
The block defense was strong as the team combined for 31 total blocks, three solo and 28 assisted. Tait had five stops over two matches against Radford while Harty combined for six total blocks against the Highlanders over the two matches.
Rebecca Ramirez and Summer Schuitema split time as the setter as they combined for 86 assists over the two matches. Ramirez put up 44 assists, 17 in the first encounter and 27 in the second. Schuitema chipped in 19 assists on Oct. 10 and 23 on Nov. 6 for the remaining 42 assists.
Senior libero Mary Crema led the defense for the Orange and Black. She collected 42 digs against the Highlanders including 28 on Nov. 6 at Radford. Layden contributed 20 digs and Schuitema added 15 to help the Camels defense.
Megan Short led the Highlanders with 27 kills and six blocks in the two games. Valerie Gonzalez was close behind as she added 25 kills. Maddie Palmer missed the first game against the Camels but showed up strong in the second as she led the Highlanders with 18 kills and four blocks.
Haley Kleespies did a great job setting for the Highlanders as she collected 101 assists over two contests as well as 5 service aces.
Pacing the defense for the Highlanders was Savannah Burton who totaled 35 digs. Kelby Jackson added 33 and Kaylor Nash had 25 herself. Five Highlanders tallied double-digit digs in the five-set match in Radford, Va. on Nov. 6 as the team finished with 79 digs.
The winner of this match will face the winner of No. 1 Coastal Carolina/No. 5 Winthrop on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 2 p.m. in the championship match.
Tickets are $8 (adult) and $5 (child) for a single day and are good for all matches that day. There is the option to get a tournament pass for $15 (adult)/$10 (child), which is good for the whole tournament. Fans can purchase tickets here and get all other information at the tournament page.
