Highlanders Lose Two On First Day of Jefferson Cup Tournament

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.--Radford volleyball had a rough first day of the Fairfield Jefferson Cup Tournament Friday, losing 0-3 to host Virginia in the first match and 0-3 to Penn in the second match. The matches were played at UVa.’s Memorial Gymnasium. (Virginia Box Score) (Penn Box Score)

The Highlanders battled hard in the first game of match one, losing 30-25 to the 5-1 Cavaliers. UVa. took game two 30-15 and game three 30-14, with two players netting double-digit kills, including Lindsay Osco who had a double-double with 12 kills and 11 digs.

Junior Elizabeth Aldredge (Richmond, Va.) led the Highlanders in the first match, registering seven kills. Sophomore Jennifer Fritz (Virginia Beach, Va.) recorded 11 digs and freshman Josie Hanners (Richmond, Va.) tallied 19 assists.

RU made Penn earn all three wins in match two. The Quakers won 32-30, 30-18 and 30-25 to improve to 2-0 this season. Cara Thomason paced Penn with 13 kills and 14 digs.

The Highlanders were led by senior Tiffany Guthrie, (Littleton, Colo.) who scored eight kills. Aldredge, senior Kate McHugh (North Branford, Conn.) and junior Divona Cox (Virginia Beach, Va.) each had six kills. McHugh also had 12 digs, while Hanners collected 28 assists.

The losses drop RU to 2-4 on the young season. The Highlanders will face Duquesne tomorrow in the final match, scheduled for 10 a.m. The Dukes lost earlier in the day to Penn, 3-1 and 3-0 tonight to Virginia.