CHARLESTON, S.C. – Charleston Southern volleyball used a mid-set rally in the fourth set to force a decisive fifth and then held off a strong Appalachian State squad to lock up a win in the season opener Friday night, 3-2, inside the CSU Fieldhouse. The Buccaneers claimed the 26-24, 23-25, 15-25, 26-24, 15-12 decision in the night cap of day one of the Zaxby's presents the VolleyBucs VolleyPalooza.

FOURTH SET SETS THE TONE
Charleston Southern (1-0) found itself down 17-10 following back-to-back attack errors but a service error from the Mountaineers turned the tide. The Buccaneers leaned on Preseason All-Big South selection and 2021 All-Big South First Team choice Peyton Thompson, as she delivered five-consecutive points while serving, including a pair of aces and two kills from newcomer Giada Pais-Marden, to pull CSU within one, 17-16. Appalachian State (1-1) inched back out by two on a McCall Denny kill but successive points in the Bucs' favor leveled the score at 18-18.

The two sides continued to keep pace with one another, neither side leading by more than two the rest of the way. The strong Charleston Southern defense forced the Mountaineers into three late attack errors, including on the final two points, to clinch the set triumph.

PUTTING IT AWAY IN FIVE
The Bucs rode the momentum into the decisive fifth set, jumping out to a 3-1 leads on a pair of kills from freshman Skylar Yates and another off the hand of Thompson. APP did not go away quietly, as it closed to within 4-3 but were unable to overtake the deficit. A Maya Winterhoff kill made it 7-7 but Yates responded with a thundering kill to give CSU the edge when the teams switched sides. The visitors claimed their first lead of the set at 10-9 but Thompson again was the catalyst in the offense, scoring two of the next-three points on kills to put her squad back in front, 12-10. Denny answered with a kill to close within one but Appalachian State would not get closer the rest of the way, as Indigo Young sent the crowd into a frenzy with a final kill to seal the victory.

CLOSE IN THE FIRST
The first set was an indication of the rest of the way, as it played out one extra point with CSU taking the early advantage. With the home crowd at its back, Charleston Southern jumped out to a 4-1 lead, eventually growing it to a 10-5 margin and forcing the Mountaineers to burn their first timeout. After App State closed to within four, 11-7, on a Cierra Huntley kill, Thompson slammed home two kills, Yates chipped in one and an attack error for APP built a 15-7 cushion. Again, however, the visitors kept it close, pulling to within three a pair of times before making it a one-point difference, 19-18, on a Denny service ace. The score was tied at 20-20 following a Kenady Roper service ace. The two sides traded points the remainder of the set before a Pais-Marden kill and Ella Hudock service ace locked up the initial set.

SECOND NO DIFFERENT
The second set saw the Mountaineers claim the upper-hand first, racing out to a 9-5 lead following a Huntley kill. Three-straight points for the Bucs kept CSU in it, and after a service error for Appalachian State, Thompson and Pais-Marden combined for back-to-back kills to give the Buccaneers their first lead in the set, 15-14, since 1-0. Pais-Marden added another after a timeout and Thompson's service ace extended the cushion to three, 17-14, but again the Mountaineers worked their way back into it. The score was tied at 20-20, 21-21 and 23-23 down the stretch before a pair of CSU attack errors gave the set to the visiting side.

APP SEIZES THIRD SET CONTROL
The only set which was not ultra-competitive was the middle one, as App State staked a 9-4 advantage and pushed it to 12-6 when the Bucs were forced to make a mid-set injury substitution. It did not slow down the APP momentum, as the deficit eventually grew to 17-6 on a Madison Baldridge kill. A Denny kill gave the Mountaineers their largest gap, 20-9, and the closest Charleston Southern would get was nine two times in the final points.

STANDOUTS
Peyton Thompson led the Buccaneers with 20 kills on 52 total attacks, while Young turned in the team's top hitting percentage among the regulars with a .368 after connecting on nine of her 19 attacks. Yates made the most of her collegiate debut with 18 kills on 41 attacks, and only four errors, for a .341 hitting percentage.

Emilee Karelse delivered 49 assists as the team's primary setter, while Angelika Rusin paced the squad with 36 digs. Yates had 27 digs and Pais-Marden contributed 23.

Emily Struckmeyer finished with a solo block and was credited with five assisted stuffs to lead the Bucs.

UP NEXT
Charleston Southern returns to action Saturday for the final day of the Zaxby's presents the VolleyBucs VolleyPalooza. Action begins at 10 a.m. with the Buccaneers facing California Baptist and the final match of the day pits CSU against St. John's, slated to start at 5 p.m. on ESPN+. In between, at 1 p.m., St. John's will meet Appalachian State.