RADFORD, VA. – Radford defended their home court on Saturday to defeat Charleston Southern in five sets.
 
Charleston Southern dropped the first set by a score of 25-19 with the Highlanders service aces helping to propel them to victory in the frame. The score stood at 11-10 early, but the hosts were able to tally six of the next seven to break away.
 
In the second, the Buccaneers were able to get on the board as they claimed it by a 25-23 scoreline. The score went back-and-forth early and the hosts held an 18-13 advantage at one point. Charleston Southern was able to piece together a pair of 3-0 scoring runs and eventually four unanswered to tie it at 22 apiece and eventually take a 23-22. Back-to-back kills from Jyriah Morgan and Emmy Rollins sealed the set.
 
Radford had six unanswered in the midway point in the third set to provide them to distance to pull away and get the victory in it. The final score for it stood at 25-17.
 
In the fourth, Charleston Southern got off to their best start in a set as they were able to tally five in a row to hold a 6-2 lead. They were able to stretch it out to 12-6 later in the set after a 4-0 scoring run. The Highlanders were eventually able to tie it at 14 apiece and take a 17-15 lead.
 
The match had to come down to a decisive fifth set for the seventh time this year for the Bucs and fourth within Big South play. Charleston Southern built an early 6-2 lead, but the Highlanders tallied five in a row to go up 7-6. The teams started to trade points and the Bucs were able to equalize it at 11 apiece, but the hosts notched four kills in a row and clinched the match victory with a 15-11 score in the fifth.
 
Skylar Yates led the team in kills as she collected 19 on the night for a season-high. She hit .348 on the night as well on 46 attacks, with the hitting percentage marking her second highest of the year. Rollins joined her in double figures in the category with 13 and Morgan was next behind her with eight. Ilaria Durante had another solid night in assists as she finished with 44 and added seven digs.
 
Angelika Rusin had the team-high in digs as she had 24 on the night and Yates also had double digits in the category with 12. Charleston Southern had a big presence at the net as they finished with nine total blocks on the night. There were four players for CSU that finished with three including Morgan, Yates, Emily Struckmeyer and Sophia Kluska.
 
Charleston Southern returns to the court on Friday, November 10 with a 6:00 p.m. matchup at Presbyterian to finish the 2023 season. The Blue Hose currently sit at 6-7 in the league and can seal their spot in the Big South Tournament with a victory in the season finale.