WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – In its second five-set nail-biter victory in in as many games, William & Mary volleyball (7-5, 2-0 CAA) took down Charleston (3-10, 0-2 CAA) to go undefeated in the opening weekend of CAA action for the first time since 2020's spring season.

After dropping the first two sets, W&M flipped the script and earned their second win of the weekend with a reverse sweep, 3-2 (18-25, 17-25, 26-24, 26-24, 15-13).

Taylor Burrell matched her career-best 23 kills in her second consecutive match, adding five in the final frame alone. Olivia Esposito's 11 blocks led each team in the match, with four coming in the decisive fifth set.

Sarah Callender and Amy Schwem each recorded double-doubles as Callender exploded with 18 kills and 17 digs – setting a career high in both statistics – and Schwem went for 31 assists and 10 kills. Emma Minnick (25 assists, 9 digs) and Burrell (23 kills, 9 digs) were each a dig short of their own double-doubles.

Charleston started fast in both the first and second sets. The Cougars opened 5-1 in the first set on the way to a 25-18 win and 9-1 in the second before settling for a 25-17 triumph. Combined, the visitor hit 27.3% with 30 kills and only nine errors in jumping out to a 2-0 lead.

W&M scored the opening two points of set three, but Charleston answered with nine of the next 11 to take a 9-4 lead.

A four-point Tribe run behind two Callendar kills and Audrey Brcka's block tied the set at 19.

W&M trailed 24-22 after a service error, but closed the frame hot with the final four points. Back-to-back blocks from the combo of Olivia Esposito and Eleanor Stothoff and Sabrina Malcolm tie things at 24. Burrell put the finishes touches on the set victory with consecutive kills to close it.

In set four, the Tribe trailed 20-14 before ripping off seven-straight points to take the lead. Callender led the charge with a trio of kills during the stretch, including one to lift the Tribe to a 21-20 lead.

The match was even at 24, before Burrell collected her 18th kill of the match to put the Tribe in front for good. An attack error on the Cougars gave the Green and Gold the set and sent the match to a fifth for a second-straight day.

W&M raced out to a 6-0 lead in the final set thanks to an explosive offense and stout defense. Burrell collected a pair of kills during the run, while W&M racked up a trio of blocks, including a pair from Esposito and Stothoff.

Charleston clawed its way back in with six-straight points. Jasmin Goei's dump tied things at nine, before Lexi Wierzbicki gave the visitor the lead.

The set was even at 13, before the Tribe won the final two points to pull out the win. Callender's 18th kill of the match put the Tribe on top and a CofC attack error ended it.

Securing a victory in the second-straight game, the Tribe revive their winning streak and look to extend it as they take to the road for their next two conference weekends away.
 
FAST FORWARD
The Tribe will be back on the road to continue conference play as they travel to Campbell and Hampton. First, the Green and Gold will head south to North Carolina for a pair of matches against the Fighting Camels on Saturday, Sept. 23 (1 p.m.) and Sunday, Sept. 24 (1 p.m.), before returning to the Commonwealth to take on Hampton Saturday, Sept.30 (1 p.m.) and Oct. 1 (1 p.m.).

Following their four-game road trip, W&M will play host once again, welcoming Elon to Kaplan Arena for two 2 p.m. weekend matches on Oct. 7-8.
 
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