CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina used a well-balanced lineup that included a team-high nine kills and a .444 hitting percentage by Addy George to defeat The Citadel by scores of 25-22, 25-20 and 25-13 on Sunday afternoon at the Ramsey Center. 

The Catamounts (9-11, 2-4 Southern Conference) limited themselves to seven errors in 103 attacks and used the combination of George, Jo-Leigh Vervelde (eight kills) and Jordan Timmerman (seven) to complete the sweep. WCU also made a statement on defense with 20 assisted blocks, led by George and Kacey Cermin, who finished five apiece. 

Megan Sowell proved to be the bright spot for The Citadel (6-15, 0-6 SoCon) with a match-high 14 kills on 29 swings. Sowell was joined on offense by Lauren Hurt who tallied seven kills and a .385 hitting percentage. Defensively, the Bulldogs were led by Moriah Smith (13 digs), Amanda Rudnik (12) and Rachel Keefer (10). Keefer completed her third double-double of the season with 36 assists. 

Western Carolina used four points by Timmerman, including three in serve, to break 13-all tie midway through the first set as it gained a lead it would not relinquish. The Bulldogs pulled within one point on five occasions over the final 14 points of the set, but it was timely strikes by George and Ververlde down the stretch that made for the three-point win. 

The Citadel bounced back early in the second set, streaking out to a 10-5 lead behind three kills by Sowell and two each from Hurt, Williams and Ise d'Angelo. WCU responded with a 6-1 run, highlighted by a pair of Cristina Nazario service aces to draw even 11-11. With the set knotted at 19-all, following a d'Angelo kill, the Catamounts again turned to Nazario who earned four points in serve as WCU took game two. 

The third set was similar to the second as the Cadets streaked out to an early 6-1 advantage before WCU retaliated to tie the game at 13. A kill by the Catamounts' Vervelde placed Caitlin Peichota in serve, which completed the sweep as she earned 12 consecutive points. 

The Bulldogs return to McAlister Field House this week when they host Samford (Oct. 17) and Chattanooga (Oct. 18) in a pair of Southern Conference tilts.