Box Score BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- Samford opened conference play on a very strong note Friday night as they dispatched Western Carolina in sweeping fashion, earning a 3-0 victory.
 
“I was impressed with our team's ability to overcome adversity,” said Head Coach Derek Schroeder.  “Elizabeth Neisler and Katie Murphy were injured and our team still managed to perform extremely well without two of our best players.  Everyone generated points and did what they needed to do to win.
 
“I was very impressed with how our freshman Emily Meitz came in and stepped up at middle today.  She performed really well and didn't miss a beat.”
 
Samford (9-6) was extremely efficient on both sides of the ball.  The offense hit .326 and only committed 10 errors in 95 swings.  SoCon Offensive Player of the Week Lauren Hutchinson continued to impress, leading the attack with 12 kills and a .571 clip.  Michaela Reesor and Erika Devaughn combined for 16 kills on both ends of the net while Casey Garvey earned her third double-double of the season with 34 assists and 12 digs.  Samford's defense up front was solid as well, as the team earned one solo block and 12 block assists, as Meitz led the team with a personal-best six blocks.
 
Western Carolina (4-12) struggled on offense, committing 21 errors to limit their attack percentage to .069.  Jordan Timmerman led the team with seven kills while Morgan Cochran led the defense with 11 digs.
 
The Catamounts earned the first point of the opening set, but that would turn out to be their only lead in the entire frame.  Samford answered that opening point with a 7-2 run, forcing an early timeout by the visitors.  Up 10-6, Samford rattled off five-consecutive points, including two service aces by Hutchinson, to extend the lead to nine, up 15-6.  Each team would score five points as, up 20-11, Alexis Bauer knocked in a service ace to give the Bulldogs the double-digit lead and force another Western Carolina timeout.  Samford reached set point, up 24-13, but Western Carolina managed to keep the set alive with back-to-back points.  The comeback was not to be however, as Hutchinson dunked home the deciding kill to give Samford the 25-15 set one victory.
 
Set two was the most deciding game of the match, as the Bulldogs got off to a quick 5-0 start including two service aces by Casey Garvey.  Samford stretched the lead to 8-1 as Devaughn and Meitz paired up for a block, forcing the visitors to regroup with a timeout.  The Bulldogs moved up by ten, 15-5, and Reesor extended it to 11 with a kill to put Samford up 16-5.  Samford reached set point with a 13-point lead, up 24-11, but a quick kill by Western Carolina briefly staved off the Bulldog attack.  Samford sealed it on the next rally as Hutchinson again closed the set with a kill to give the Bulldogs the 25-12 win in set two.
 
Play was more even to begin the third frame as Western Carolina managed to grab a lead, up 5-4 early.  The teams traded points back-and-forth until, tied at 11-11, Samford knocked in four points in a row to move up 15-11 and force a Catamount timeout.  Western Carolina would draw within four, down 17-13, but the Bulldogs would not allow them to score another point for the remainder of the set as Samford capped the match with a stellar 8-0 run to win the deciding frame 25-13 and complete the 3-0 sweep.
 
Samford continues conference action tomorrow night as they host Appalachian State (4-11).  The match is set to begin at 7 p.m. CT.  The Mountaineers lost their conference opener as they were swept, 3-0, at Chattanooga Friday night.