CHARLESTON, S.C. – Peyton Thompson had 25 kills and 11 digs Friday evening, but visiting Winthrop used a balanced offense to defeat Charleston Southern in four sets (25-23, 21-25, 25-10, 25-20) inside Buccaneer Fieldhouse.
 
The match also served as the Bucs' senior night, with Rachel Feggeler being honored prior to the match.
 
Thompson finished one kill shy of her career high of 26, while Indigo Young had 12 kills. Emma Minnick had 40 assists, putting her over 700 for the season, and Ashleigh Holweger had a match-high 21 digs.
 
Winthrop opened up an 8-3 lead early in the first set before the Bucs clawed their way back in, with Thomposn and Young accounting for CSU's next six points. Charleston Southern found itself within two points on multiple occasions and even cut the deficit to one on a Thompson kill late in the set, but Winthrop prevailed to take the opener, 25-23.
 
The Bucs and Eagles traded runs throughout the early stages of the set, with neither team trailing by more than three until the late stages. A pair of Holweger aces during a 6-2 CSU run proved crucial, while kills by Thompson and Ashley Collitt closed out a 25-21 set win for the Bucs.
 
Winthrop jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the third and never looked back in the set. Charleston Southern never found a rhythm in the set and a 10-2 Eagle run midway through put the Eagles in the driver's seat. Winthrop took seven of the last eight points in the set and took a 2-1 lead in the match with a 25-10 win in the third set.
 
The Eagles' momentum continued into the fourth set, as they jumped out to an 8-3 lead. CSU fought back to cut the deficit to two late in the set, with a pair of Kaileigh Ammons kills aiding the run, but Winthrop closed with three straight points to take the set, 25-20, and the match.
 
Up Next
The Bucs welcome Gardner-Webb Saturday afternoon for a 2 p.m. match.