FERRUM, Va. -- Ferrum College dropped a Conference Carolinas volleyball match to Shorter University, falling 3-0 this afternoon at home. Set scores at Swartz Gym were 25-21, 25-20, 25-14. The Hawks are the top-ranked team in the conference, with an 11-1 mark in league play. 

RECORDS
Shorter 14-6, 11-1 CC
Ferrum 3-16, 1-12 CC

THE BASICS
The two teams played evenly in the opening set. Sarabeth Johnson's kills off a Harleigh Propst set was followed by a Shorter attack error and Ferrum owned an 8-7 lead. Later in the set, a pair of Catherine Bennett kills, both from Propst sets, put Ferrum on top 14-13, then a Johnson kill a few minutes later gave the Panthers a 16-15 lead. The Hawks closed the set with a 10-5 run from there to take the one set to love lead. 

Danielle Worthy had a a kill to open the second set, then Renee Dove made it 4-3 with a kill a few points later. A Shorter service error, then two attack errors by the Hawks gave Ferrum a 9-7 lead, but the visitors answered with three straight points to take a 10-9 lead. Ferrum roared back to pick up five points in a row, two on Hawk attack errors, one each on Bennett and Worthy kills and one on a Daniela Castillo service ace to put the Panthers on the better side of a 14-10 score. Shorter rallied with a 15-6 run to close the second set and open a 2-0 lead. 

Ferrum got a kill each from Bennett and Kalee Bunn, and a pair of services aces from Propst to grab a 4-3 lead early in the third set. A few minutes later, the Hawks broke a 5-5 tie with mini-run that put them out in front 19-11, and held on from there for the 3-0 league win.

KEY STATS
Shorter: Victoria Sparks 13 kills, 12 digs; Brooke Thao 21 asst; Victoria McNair 20 asst; Claudia Loyola 12 digs
Ferrum: Bunn 12 asst; Propst 10 asst, 8 digs; Bennett 9 kills, 9 digs; Castillo 11 digs

UP NEXT
Coach Shelbylynn Adair's team will be back in action Wednesday, October 22, at home against UNC-Pembroke. The Conference Carolinas match is set for a 6:00 p.m. start at Swartz Gym.