Samford 3, Western Carolina 1
CULLOWHEE, N.C. ---- The Samford University volleyball team captured its 14th win of the season Saturday afternoon with a 3-1 victory at Western Carolina. The Bulldogs are now 14-14 overall and 8-8 in Southern Conference play. The Catamounts fell to 6-23 overall and 1-12 in league play.
Samford won the first set, 25-23, while Western Carolina took the second set in extra play by a score of 28-26. The set win was the first for the Catamounts in 10 sets after being swept in the last three matches. Samford then dominated the third and fourth sets, 25-7 and 25-14, to take the match win.
Samford out-blocked the Catamounts, 16-4, and out-dug them, 60-39, while also holding WCU to a .090 team hitting percentage. Samford did not hit below .375 throughout the entire match, notching a .556 hitting percentage in set three. WCU hit .324 in the first set but did not hit above .220 throughout the remainder of the match, hitting negative in the last two sets.
Samford was led again by Elizabeth Neisler with 16 kills followed by Allie Bettinger and Lauren Hutchinson with 14 and 13 kills respectively. Neisler also hit .419 with only three errors on 31 swings while grabbing a block assist and a dig. Bettinger hit .345 and also had six digs and three block assists. Hutchinson posted a team-high .458 while also tallying five digs, an ace, two solo blocks and eight block assists.
Casey Garvey posted her third double-double of the year with 47 assists and 12 digs. She also added a kill, a block assist and two aces. Alexis Bauer posted 20 digs, a block assist and two assists while Samantha Bland had nine digs, two aces and a kill.
Hillary Fountain and Katie Murphy each had six kills while Fountain added six assists, seven block assists, three digs and an ace. Murphy also hit .455 with only one error on 11 attempts while tallying six block assists. Lyndsey Holt added four digs while Taylor Palmer had a block assist and Taylor Chao had an ace.
Western Carolina was led by Amanda Chaparro with 14 kills and five digs. Paloma Alvarez followed with 12 kills, a team-high .194 hitting percentage and six digs. Morgan Cochran led the back row with 13 digs while Kelcie Randazzo ran the offense with 36 assists.
Western Carolina got on the board first in set one due to a service error by Garvey, but Fountain knocked down a kill to even the score and get Samford on the board. A kill by Chaparro and another Samford error put WCU ahead by two but Samford fought back and tied the score twice before taking a 10-9 lead. The Catamounts called a timeout and went on a 5-1 run to go ahead by three and force Samford to call a timeout.
WCU extended its lead to 15-11 out of the break with a service ace and eventually went ahead by as much as five. However, Samford fought back, and with four kills by Neisler, tied the score at 20. Garvey served up another ace to regain the lead at 21-20 and WCU called another timeout. Neisler came back with a kill to put the Bulldogs ahead by two, and although WCU held Samford at set point twice, the Bulldogs would go on to win the first set, 25-23, on a kill by Hutchinson.
Neisler downed the first kill for Samford in set two followed by Fountain with a kill to take an early 2-0 lead for the Bulldogs. WCU quickly answered back and tied the score. Samford took a three-point lead on kills by Neisler and Hutchinson and an ace by Hutchinson but the Catamounts answered back and took a three-point lead which forced Samford to call a timeout.
The Bulldogs fought back to tie the score three times and finally, with the score tied at 19, WCU called a timeout. The Catamounts took the lead out of the break with a kill by Best but Best followed with an error to tie the score again. Samford took the lead twice but WCU answered back to tie it and eventually went ahead by one on a kill by Alvarez. Samford called a timeout and came back to take the lead on a WCU error and a kill by Bettinger. The Catamounts called a timeout and a Samford error tied the score at 24. The score was tied twice more but WCU would come out with the 28-26 win in set two on a block by Rebecca Stoltz.
Samford opened the third set with a 4-0 run, starting with a kill by Hutchinson followed by a WCU error and two blocks by Hutchinson and Fountain. The Catamounts called a timeout and Samford came back with an ace by Garvey and a kill by Neisler to extend its lead to six. Carrie Minogue finally got the Catamounts on the board but Samford just tacked on five more points to take a 10-point lead and force WCU to call its second timeout.
Samford came back with four straight points - a block by Bettinger and Hutchinson, a kill by Hutchinson, a WCU error and an ace by Bland - before the Catamounts added their second point on an attack error by Bettinger. WCU could only score five more points in the set as Samford went on to win set three, 25-7, on a kill by Hutchinson.
Back-to-back errors by WCU gave Samford a quick 2-0 lead before Chaparro got the Catamounts on the board with a kill. Samford then tacked on four straight points with kills by Hutchinson, Bland and Fountain and an ace by Bland to take a five-point lead and force the Catamounts to call a timeout. WCU came back to get within three points on a Samford error but Samford eventually pushed its lead out to nine on a kill by Bettinger and an ace by Chao. WCU called another timeout but Samford continued to forge ahead and took the 25-14 win of set four.
The Bulldogs round out their final road trip of the season Sunday as they take on Appalachian State in the Holmes Convocation Center at 1 p.m. Samford hopes to get a win and return in two weeks to the same venue for the Southern Conference Tournament. The Catamounts return to action at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 7 when they play host to Chattanooga in the team's final home contest of the season.
Davidson 3, The Citadel 1
DAVIDSON, N.C. - In her final appearance in Belk Arena, senior Sarabeth Peele's fifth double-double of the season led the Davidson Wildcats to a 3-1 (25-16, 24-26, 25-17, 25-17) win over The Citadel Bulldogs Saturday night in SoCon volleyball action.
Peele finished with a match-high 18 kills to go along with 12 digs to lead Davidson (16-15, 7-7). Also in her home finale, senior setter Hayley Lawson turned in a double-double of her own with 38 assists and a team-high 14 digs. Junior middle blocker Madison Benedict added nine kills and finished with five blocks, and senior middle blocker Jorden Benedict tallied eight kills and four blocks, as the Wildcats finished with 10 team blocks. Davidson also had 11 service aces, with three each from Peele and sophomore Molly Crenshaw.
Jessica Maas had a double-double with 10 kills and 10 digs to lead The Citadel (6-23, 1-13). Amanda Beal, Cassie Uribe and Rachel Farrell, who also led the defense with a match-high 18 digs, each finished with eight kills for the Bulldogs. Erin Bucheri finished with 23 assists, and both Maas and Kathryn Johnston had 10 digs.
The Wildcats jumped out to an 8-1 lead to open the match on kills from Jorden Benedict and Lawson and four from Peele. The Bulldogs battled back, putting together a 5-0 run on a pair of scores by Uribe and one from Beal to close Davidson's lead to 14-11. The Citadel held that margin as kills from Maas and Kaona Mercer pushed it to 18-15, but the 'Cats closed out the set with a 7-1 run as Peele rattled off two aces to win the set 25-16.
Davidson won the first four to start the second set, but the Bulldogs won the next five in the middle of an 8-1 run to grab an 8-5 lead. Davidson got the set knotted at 10 on an ace from Chamblee, and the teams tied six times over the middle of the set. The Bulldogs took a 22-20 lead on a kill from Uribe, but the Wildcats looked in control, winning the next three to go ahead 23-22 on a kill from Peele and a pair of Citadel errors. Rachel Farrell tied the set, but Peele pushed it back in Davidson's favor, 24-23. The Bulldogs, though, finished with a 3-0 run to take the 26-24 win and even the match at a set each.
After the break, Davidson took a 9-3 lead and fought off a charge from the Bulldogs, who pulled within two at 10-8 on two kills from Uribe. The Wildcats answered with an 8-3 run, including three from Madison Benedict and an ace by Lawson as part of a 4-0 run, to push the lead to 18-11. A pair of kills from freshman Caroline Brown and another from Peele led Davidson to a 25-17 win in the set to take a 2-1 lead in the match. The Wildcats grabbed a 12-6 lead in the final set and closed out with a 6-1 run, and Crenshaw's back-to-back aces clinched the 25-15 win for the match.
Davidson will wrap up regular-season play this week when it travels to Georgia Southern for a 6 p.m. match Tuesday, before finishing with a 6 p.m. match at Chattanooga Saturday. The 2010 SoCon Tournament gets underway in Boone on Nov. 19. The Citadel heads into their final week of the season with upcoming matches against South Carolina State (Nov. 10), Furman (Nov. 13) and Wofford (Nov. 14).
Furman 3, UNCG 0
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Seniors Brooke Ellison and Katherine Hall were honored Saturday night in their final home match at Alley Gymnasium, and the Furman volleyball team went on to defeat UNCG 3-0 (25-15, 25-19, 25-22).The Paladins also honored Furman head volleyball coach Michelle Young, who picked up her 200th career victory earlier this season.
After UNCG took a 5-3 lead to open the match, Furman went on an 8-3 run to establish an 11-6 advantage and never looked back, taking a 25-15 win in set one. The two teams battled back and forth in the second set, but Furman eventually built a six-point lead at 16-10. The Spartans cut the lead to four at 18-14 but could never get any closer, and the Paladins went on to win the second set 25-19 to take a 2-0 set lead at the break.
The two teams were tied at nine before UNCG scored three straight points for a 12-9 lead in the third set. Furman could only come within two points until the Paladins rallied with three straight points to take a 16-15 lead. The teams then battled through ties at 16 and 17, before the Spartans went on a 7-3 run, giving UNCG 22-19 lead. After an attack error by the Spartans brought Furman sophomore Natalie Braun up to serve, the Paladins scored the next five points, ignited by two key kills by sophomore Caroline Adams, to end the match with a 25-22 win in the third set.
Hall posted eight kills and two errors off 15 attempts, for a .400 attack percentage. She also picked up two digs for the Paladins. Ellison recorded three digs in the victory.
Junior Kelly Kirby recorded a triple-double in the match with 10 kills, 19 assists, and 10 digs. Sophomore Chandler Ambrester led Furman with 14 kills and a .609 attack percentage, while Braun led Furman's defensive attack with 16 digs and two service aces. Freshman Sarah McCarthy posted a team-high 21 assists and added 13 digs, and Adams recorded 12 kills and led Furman with three blocks.
Ariel Newman posted nine kills to lead the Spartans, who fall to 19-10 overall and 7-7 in the Southern Conference with the loss. Karrian Chambers paced UNCG with 11 digs, while Ari Lysacek recorded a team-high 27 assists.
Furman (16-10, 10-4 SoCon) will conclude the 2010 regular season next weekend in Charleston, S.C. The Paladins will play at The Citadel Saturday at 2 p.m. before playing their final regular season match at College of Charleston Sunday at 2 p.m. The Spartans will return home on Tuesday as they host High Point at 7 p.m. in Fleming Gymnasium for the final midweek game of the season for UNCG.
Appalachian State 3, Chattanooga 0
BOONE, N.C.- Appalachian State University volleyball came out on fire and hammered Southern Conference North Division rival Chattanooga 3-0, Saturday evening at the Holmes Center. The win clinches one of the four coveted spots in the 2010 SoCon Tournament, and gives Appalachian its first over UTC this season, having previously lost 3-1 back in early October.
The Black and Gold (17-9, 8-5 SoCon) got down to business early, jumping out to a 6-3 advantage off a Maggie Seeds and Caroline Sedon block assist to open up the match.
Keeping with its dominance at the net, an Anna Wagner and Alison Blasingame block assist extended ASU's lead to six points, up 13-7.
Blasingame kept with her impressive play, as she tallied back-to-back kills to make the score 17-10 in the Apps' favor.
Blasingame closed out the contest with a match-high 12 kills, while also recording three block assists and one solo block.
Another Mountaineer block assist earned ASU its largest lead of the set up eight points, and a final Sedon ace sealed the Black and Gold's 25-15 first set win.
Blasingame continued with her offensive fortitude as she slammed another kill and pushed ASU in front 5-2 to start second set play.
UTC however was able to keep it close early, pulling within one point down 9-8.
Despite UTC picking up its pace, ASU posted a set-changing streak, outscoring the Lady Mocs 4-0, to grab the 13-8 lead.
Chattanooga could not recover and was never able to cut its deficit to closer than four points, as points by Sedon, Seeds and Meghann Forshey enabled the squad to roll to the 25-14 second set victory.
Seeds had a stellar outing against the Lady Mocs as well, totaling 11 kills, hitting .714 on the evening, in addition to compiling two block assists and a solo block.
Once Appalachian took an 8-3 lead to begin third set play, two Lady Mocs block assists and a kill by Courtney Barnes pulled UTC back within two, down 8-6.
Chattanooga would not give up, tying action at 11 apiece and then again at 13 all, before another 4-0 Mountaineer streak was too much for UTC to comeback from.
Two Meagan Ernd hitting errors and kills by Blasingame and Lauren Swecker ASU to notch the 17-13 advantage, and a Seeds slam to put ASU on top 19-15 all but put Chattanooga away.
Using the momentum after the Seeds kill, Wagner and Blasingame tallied points down the stretch and a final Wagner kill gave Appalachian the 25-18 and 3-0 match win.
With little time to rest, ASU plays its final home regular-season contest tomorrow, as the Mountaineers host Samford. The match is set to begin at 2 p.m. in the Holmes Center, with seniors Caroline Sedon and Lauren Swecker being honored in pre-match Senior Day ceremony. The Lady Mocs return to action on Sunday at Western Carolina with the first serve at the Ramsey Center scheduled for 3 p.m.
Elon 3, Wofford 1
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - After dropping the first set at Wofford, the Elon University volleyball team stormed back to take the next three sets to defeat the Terriers, 3-1 (18-25, 25-15, 25-20, 25-16). Senior Sarah Schermerhorn continued her dominance on the court with a match-high 16 kills and .591 attack percentage. With the win, Elon moves to 18-13 on the season and to 9-5 in Southern Conference play to retain the lead of the North Division. Wofford drops to 12-20 on the season and 2-12 in conference play.
Junior Caroline Lemke recorded 12 kills on the night for a .455 attack percentage, while junior Traci Stewart and sophomore Allison Johnson tallied 13 and 11 kills, respectively, each earning a .385 attack percentage. Junior Megan McMahon registered 49 assists on the night to put the hitters in perfect striking position.
McMahon also contributed to the defensive attack with the match-high 14 digs and four total blocks. Lemke also recorded four total blocks, while Schermerhorn finished with three. The Phoenix out-blocked the Terriers 9-6 on the night.
In the first set, Wofford jumped out to an early 4-1 lead, but a kill by Stewart later evened the set at seven-all. With the score tied at 10-all, the Terriers went on a 6-1 run to move the score to 16-11. The Phoenix was not able to make up the difference and eventually dropped the set 25-18.
Elon picked it up in the second set and turned the match around by taking a 10-4 lead. Up five points, three straight kills by Johnson, Lemke and Stewart helped Elon to go on a four-point run that widened the lead to nine points, 15-6. The set ended after a 6-1 Elon run helped the Phoenix to a 25-15 victory and tied the match at one-all.
The third set started off to a quick 3-0 Elon lead off a kill from Johnson. The Phoenix extended its lead to six points with the score at 18-12, but Wofford rallied back to tie the score at 20-all. However, a 5-0 run by Elon, which included four kills from Schermerhorn, gave the set to the Phoenix, 25-20, and a 2-1 match lead.
With the risk of the fourth set being the final one of the match for Wofford, the Terriers took an early lead 8-4 over the Phoenix. But Elon went on a four-point run to tie the set at eight-all and then once again at 10-all. From there the Phoenix took control of the set and with the score at 13-11, Elon went on another four-point run to widen the advantage to six points. Wofford was not able to make up much ground and the match ended of a block from Lemke and McMahon to give the Phoenix the 25-16 fourth set win and the 3-1 match victory.
Elon will play its final two regular season matches next weekend at home in Alumni Gym. The Phoenix will take on Appalachian State on Friday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. and Western Carolina on Saturday, Nov. 13 at 5:30 p.m. for Senior Day.
College of Charleston 3, Georgia Southern 1
STATESBORO, Ga. - The College of Charleston won their 10th consecutive conference match with a 3-1 victory over the Georgia Southern Eagles (25-18, 25-16, 20-25, 25-14).
The Cougars (25-5, 13-1) gave the Eagles (22-8, 12-2) their first home loss of the season. Both of Georgia Southern's two conference losses have been at the hands of the Cougars. CofC won for the 18th time in their last 19 matches.
Junior Elyse Chubb led the Cougar attack with 14 kills and hit .737. As a team the Cougars hit .398.
Freshman Madelyn McGinnis (11 kills), senior Ginny Phillips (11 kills) and junior Sarah Havel (12 kills) all contributed to the offensive attack. Senior setter Cole Dawley spread the ball around to a variety of weapons, totaling 46 assists for the match.
Defensively, senior Paige Johnson turned in a team-high 14 digs.
Although there were 21 ties in the contest, the lead only changed six times.
After the Eagles won the third set the Cougars came back refocused in the fourth. CofC hit .481 for the set and raced to 10-4 advantage. Playing in front of a crowd of 1,162 fans, Chubb threw a swing down the middle to close out the match.
The Cougars, who own first-place in the conference, resume action at home in the last weekend of the regular season Nov. 13-14 with matches against Wofford and Furman. CofC will celebrate senior on Sunday vs. Furman.