Volleyball Southern Conference

Southern Conference Volleyball Capsules from Sept. 30

Appalachian State 3, Elon 0

BOONE, N.C. ? Four Mountaineers hit in double-figures, for a team hitting percentage of .352, as the Appalachian State University volleyball team swept Elon, 3-0 (30-18, 30-25, 30-18) in its Southern Conference home opener Friday, Sept. 30, at the Holmes Center.

With the win Appalachian improves to 9-6 overall and 2-1 in conference play, while Elon drops to 3-11 on the season and 1-2 in the SoCon. The Mountaineers out-hit the Phoenix, 53 kills compared to 31 and held Elon to a .117 hitting percentage. The Mountaineers added six aces in the match.

Sophomore Brittany Zahn (Charlotte, N.C.) led the way for the Mountaineers, compiling a match-high 15 kills and seven digs. Fellow sophomore Dianna Thomas (Mobile, Ala.) and 11 kills, while seniors Kali Rumberger (Spokane, Wash.) and Stefanie Panzer (Mt. Gilead, N.C.) chipped in 10 apiece. Panzer hit .563 (10 kills, one error, 16 total attacks) on the night, while Rumberger had the second-highest percentage of the match at .500 (10 kills, one error, 18 total attacks).

Junior Chrissy Finch (Lake Zurich, Ill.) led the defense with a match-high 17 digs. Finch was the only player on either team to record double-digit digs. Finch added two aces. Senior Becky Sorensen (Raleigh, N.C.) chipped in two aces for the Apps as well.

Sophomore Lorelle Rau (Oakland Park, Fla.) took care of setting duties for ASU, recording 46 of the team’s 49 set assists.

Juliena Gigon led the Phoenix with 11 kills and five digs. Emily Lucci paced the Elon defense with seven digs and six kills.

The Mountaineers hit .467 in game one, with Rumberger hitting .750 (three kills, no errors, four total attacks). Thomas recorded five kills in the game as Appalachian defeated Elon, 30-18.

ASU jumped out to another quick lead in game two, leading by as much as seven. ASU never trailed in the game, going on to win the second game, 30-25, led by Zahn’s seven kills.

Elon led 6-1 in the third game. Down 8-4, Sorensen rattled off six straight points, including an ace, to give Appalachian a 10-8. Appalachian never trailed again in the match, going on to take game three, 30-18 and the match, 3-0.

The Mountaineers return to the court Saturday, as they take on UNC Greensboro in SoCon action at 7 p.m. at the Holmes Center. The game can be followed via live stats at www.GoASU.com.