WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — William & Mary volleyball triumphed over Charleston in a five-set thriller at Kaplan Arena on Saturday, winning 25-18, 19-25, 19-25, 25-17, and 19-17 to send out its seniors with a win in their final home match.

William & Mary (10-15, 5-9 CAA) opened the first set with a strong start, quickly establishing a lead with a series of effective plays including a kill from Katherine Arnason and an attack error by Charleston's Makena Parthen. Olivia Westfort and Beatriz Silva contributed to the momentum with key kills, while Audrey Brcka's performance helped maintain the advantage against the Cougars' attempts to close the gap. W&M capitalized on errors by the opposition and consistently executed their plays, ultimately securing a 25-18 victory in the first set.

In the second set, the Tribe struggled to shift momentum after an early exchange of points with Charleston. Despite a solid service ace from Nicole Smith and a series of successful kills by Arnason and Brcka, W&M faced challenges from Charleston's strong offensive plays, including service aces and multiple kills. The Green and Gold managed a late surge, narrowing the gap with contributions from Ryann Love and Westfort, but ultimately fell short as Charleston closed the set with a decisive run. The set concluded with Charleston leading 25-19.

William & Mary made a strong push in the third set with key contributions from Arnason and Devereaux Hoxsie, each securing important kills. Despite this effort, the Cougars maintained their lead, thanks in part to consistent plays from Julia Gnida and Caroline Noonan. The Tribe capitalized on some errors, but ultimately, the set concluded with Charleston securing a 25-19 victory.

William & Mary surged in the fourth set with a series of decisive plays, starting with two service aces from Kaitlyn Dunnigan that set the tone. Avery Horejsi contributed two more aces as the home team built momentum, extending their lead. Beatriz Silva added back-to-back service aces, pushing W&M's advantage further. 

Charleston attempted to respond, closing the gap to within a couple of points, but the Tribe maintained control. Nicole Smith and Hoxsie each registered key kills, while Arnason and Love's blocking efforts were pivotal in stifling the visitors' attempts. 

W&M's consistent pressure culminated in the final point, with Arnason and Love blocking an attack by Gnida, sealing the set 25-17.

The fifth and deciding set saw the Tribe achieve a narrow victory over Charleston. Brcka and Arnason propelled the home team with pivotal kills, helping them establish an early lead. With the set tied at 14-14, Arnason's timely kills, assisted by Silva, played a crucial role in maintaining the lead for William & Mary. 

Charleston mounted a challenge, evening the score multiple times, but Smith's consecutive kills ensured that the Tribe ultimately edged out their opponent. The set concluded with a 19-17 win for W&M, securing the match victory.

STAT NUGGETS

• Brcka had a team-high 18 kills.
• Smith added 14 kills.
• Arnason tallied 15 kills with a .452 hitting percentage, along with five blocks.
• Silva handed out 36 assists and posted 12 digs for a double-double.
• Horejsi dug out 19 balls and collected eight assists.
• W&M racked up 12 blocks as a team.
• The Tribe posted a hitting percentage of .429 in the decisive fifth set.

UP NEXT
The Tribe will conclude the regular season as they travel to face Hampton on Friday, Nov. 14, at 6 p.m. at Holland Hall.