ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The Citadel fell in the first round of the 2025 Southern Conference Championships to Western Carolina (23-25, 16-25, 19-25) on Thursday afternoon inside Harrah's Cherokee Center. Alexa Psotka recorded a career-high in kills.
 
The Citadel led in digs at 63-62 and aces at 5-3 over Western Carolina.
 
Alexa Psotka posted a career-high ten kills, and Rachel Reininger also recorded ten kills. Gwen Berry tallied nine kills. Psotka achieved a career-high .467 attack percentage on 15 attempts.
 
Ainsley Dowling and Mia Watson each contributed two service aces.
 
Greta Pleuss recorded 28 assists over three sets. Reininger led with 17 digs and achieved a double-double with 10 kills and 17 digs.
 
Set 1
The Citadel took an early 5-2 lead in the first set after a 3-0 run fueled by a kill from Reininger, which caused an attack error from the Catamounts, and a kill from Psotka. Another kill from Psotka pushed The Citadel ahead 10-6, but the Catamounts responded with an 8-0 run to take the lead at 14-10. Back-to-back kills from Reininger and a kill from Luci Lippelgoos cut the Catamounts' lead to 16-14. Western Carolina maintained a five-point advantage at 21-16, but the Bulldogs narrowed it to one at 22-21 after a 3-0 run with kills from Berry and Reininger late in the set. The Catamounts secured the set with a late kill at 25-23.
 
Set 2
The Citadel started the second set with a 3-0 run, featuring two kills from Psotka and one from Berry. Berry's third kill of the set put The Citadel ahead 6-4, but Western Carolina responded with a 6-0 run to take a 10-6 lead. Western Carolina's lead later increased to as much as seven points, but a kill by Jordyn Sim, an ace from Watson, and another kill by Berry brought the score to 17-13. The Catamounts would run away with the rest of the set, winning it 25-16.
 
Set 3
Both teams exchanged points to start the third set until The Citadel took a two-point lead at 8-6, highlighted by two service aces from Dowling. A kill from Psotka gave the Bulldogs a 13-12 lead, but Western Carolina regained the lead with back-to-back kills at 14-13. A kill from Reininger made it a one-point set at 17-16, and the Catamounts then went on a 4-0 run, making it 21-16. Two errors from Western Carolina gave The Citadel a chance at 22-19, but a 3-0 run from the Catamounts ended the set and the match at 25-19.