RADFORD, Va.  – The USC Upstate women's volleyball team fell on the road against Radford University in straight sets (25-21, 25-23, 25-9) on Friday night.
 
USC Upstate set the tone on the first point of the night, when freshman Scout Hoffmeier laced a service Ace across the net to give USC Upstate a 1-0 lead. Moments later the Spartans held a 4-3 lead but watched Radford go on a 6-0 run to take the lead back. USC Upstate head coach Ronda Shirley called a timeout to try and light a spark in the Spartans offense.
 
The timeout worked as the Spartans slowly chipped away at the Highlanders lead and then USC Upstate struck hard and fast. The Spartans offense rattled off six consecutive points to take a 15-14 advantage against Radford. The two teams battled the rest of the way but it was the Highlanders who won the final two points of the set.
 
In the second set the Spartans had the early momentum with a quick 4-0 spurt in the early moments of the stanza to give them an 8-5 advantage. Holding the lead at 10-8 USC Upstate appeared to be holding the momentum and in control of the frame. Radford then shocked the Spartans with a 10-0 run to take a 18-10 lead over the Spartans.
 
USC Upstate then put their nose to the ground and began to fight back in the second set. Sure enough the Spartans slowly chipped away at the Highlanders lead and eventually tied the set at 21-21. The Spartan attack ran out of steam as the Highlanders took the second set 25-23.
 
In the third set the Highlanders raced out to an 8-1 lead over the Spartans and did not look back. USC Upstate attempted to get back in the third set early but a 15-3 run to close out the set gave Radford the straight set sweep over the Spartans.
 
USC Upstate will look to rebound tomorrow afternoon against High Point University. The match is set for a 2:00 p.m. first serve time.
 
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