Ferrum, VA - The Johnson & Wales Charlotte volleyball team traveled to Ferrum, VA on Saturday to participate in the Ferrum College Tri-match. The Wildcats played well, but ultimately fell in both matches.

In the day's first match against Shenandoah (6-6), the Wildcats used a 4-0 run midway through the first set to break open a tied set and set up a 25-16 win. JWU led 6-3 early in the second set, but couldn't maintain momentum and fell 25-21. Shenandoah went on a 7-3 run in the middle of the third set to break open a tight set en route to a 25-18 win. The Hornets closed the match with a 25-14 win in the fourth.

Shayla Pope led the Wildcats with 11 kills, while Aimee Evans added 7 kills, 4 block assists, and 3 digs. Logan Smith handed out 20 assists, while Ahmarie Young had 15 digs.

The day's second match featured the Wildcats and host Panthers (5-10). JWU again started strong, building a 9-3 lead in the first set. They extended that lead to 18-11 before going on to win 25-20. The second set saw neither team lead by more than 3 points. The stanza was tied at 23 before Ferrum scored the final two points to knot the match at 1-1. The Wildcats found themselves down 7 at 21-14 in the third before they reeled off 11 of the final 13 points of the set behind 2 kills each from Pope and Kaylee Atkins. The fourth set was a carbon copy of the second, as again neither side led by more than 3. Ferrum led 22-19 before JWU rallied to tie the set at 23, but the Panthers scored the final two points to set up the deciding set. The Wildcats scored the first two points of the 5th before Ferrum went on a 8-2 run to take a four point lead at the change of sides. The Wildcats (9-10) trimmed the deficit to a single point on three occasions, but couldn't get over the hump, falling 15-13.

Four Wildcats posted double-digit kills, Ahmarie Young (16), Emily Arends (12), Evans (12), and Pope (10). Smith tallied 33 assists, while Niecee Perofeta added 19 more. Young had 18 kills, as Mikayla Seymour-Tucker posted 12 and Sage Franzel added 11. 

JWU next travels to Caldwell CC on Thursday, 9/29 for a 7pm match.