JOHNSON CITY, TENN. - Meredith Hardy drove home a match-high 15 kills and posted a .583 hitting percentage as East Tennessee State completed a three-set victory over The Citadel by scores of 25-13, 25-16, 25-18 in Tuesday night Southern Conference action.

Hardy, along with Ivey Rice (nine kills), anchored an ETSU lineup that finished with 40 kills and a .337 hitting percentage. The Bucs (11-13, 5-3 SoCon) were led on defense Jessica Schafer (15 digs) and Renzey Rice (11 digs). Hardy also made an impact on defensive attack with six assisted blocks.

Megan Sowell and Bailey Kernodle shared team-high honors in kills for The Citadel, driving home seven apiece. Sowell committed just two errors in 18 kills to finish with a .278 hitting percentage. Samantha Espy led the way for the Dogs defensive attack with nine digs. The Citadel dropped to 6-18 overall and 0-9 in league play following the setback.

East Tennessee State pulled away after an early four-all tie in the first set, using kills by Ivey Rice and Meredith Hardy to move in front 8-4. The Buccaneers doubled their total, 16-9, behind two kills by Ivey Rice and four unforced Citadel errors during a 13-point stretch. Strikes by Sowell and d'Angelo pushed the Dogs into double figures, but ETSU took the first game by a 12-point margin.

The Buccaneers overcame two kills each by the trio of Kernodle, Sowell and Williams to take a 10-6 lead early in the second set. A kill by Sowell trimmed the deficit to three, 14-11, before an 11-5 run by ETSU, that included two kills each from Gesell and Ivey Rice, provided the 2-0 advantage.

A hotly contested third set endured 10 ties as the two teams battled to an 18-18 deadlock. After an unforced error by the Bulldogs put Muey in serve, East Tennessee State rattled off the next six points, including two from Muey via service aces, to complete the three-set win.

The Citadel returns to action this weekend when they face Western Carolina (Oct. 24) and Furman (Oct. 25) at McAlister Field House. The matches will be streamed live on SoCon Digital Network.