UNCG 3, Mercer 2
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG volleyball team ran its winning streak to eight straight matches Wednesday night as the Spartans grinded out a 3-2 (30-28, 23-25, 25-23, 23-25, 17-15) victory over Southern Conference foe Mercer at Hawkins Arena. The victory improves the Spartans to 18-8 on the year and 8-3 in SoCon play while becoming just the second team this season to come away from Hawkins Arena with a victory.
Sophomore Ashley Muench led the Spartans’ attack, posting a career-high 24 kills to go along with 13 digs. Muench started off her night with authority, recording eight kills in the first set and continued throughout the match, helping the Spartans record the back-and-forth victory.
Junior outside hitter Jessica Brezwyn added 14 kills while senior Julia Westerbur chipped in 11 kills and five blocks. Freshman setter Allison Penner ran the offense and handed out 58 assists while posting 17 digs defensively. Senior Katherine Santiago led the team with 20 digs as UNCG recorded 80 digs in the match.
Emily Krogman led Mercer (9-14, 4-7) 13 kills and eight blocks in the loss. Morgan MacGilvary added 13 kills and 13 digs while Tori Penrod tallied a match-high 22 digs. The Bears only had 54 kills compared to 68 by the Spartans but finished the night with 14 service aces.
The Spartans will look to continue their winning ways Saturday as they travel to Charleston, S.C., to face The Citadel. Game time is set for 6 p.m.
Furman 3, ETSU 0
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Behind solid play from its outside hitters, Furman volleyball downed ETSU, 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-23), on Wednesday night in Johnson City, Tenn. The win moves Furman to 15-6 on the year and 9-2 in SoCon play, while the loss drops ETSU to 15-9 on the year and 6-5 in SoCon play.
Furman was led by Annie Bierman with 14 kills and 15 digs for her 14th double-double of the season, while Jamila Johnson put down a career-high 12 kills, hitting .320 and adding two blocks. Jo Wilks dished out 41 assists and needs just five to set the school record. Furman out-hit ETSU .238-.152 and put down 49 kills to the Bucs’ 33.
ETSU jumped out to an early lead in the third set, this time at 4-1. The Bucs pushed the lead to four at 7-3, but Christen Sikora served Furman on a 4-0 run to tie the set at seven. The teams then traded points until ETSU used a kill and a block to regain a two-point lead at 13-11, then again at 14-12. Furman cut the lead one on at 14-13, then used three-straight points to grab a 16-15 lead and force an ETSU timeout.
Out of the timeout, the Bucs tied the set at 17, but Furman used back-to-back kills by Bierman to take a 19-17 lead, prompting ETSU to call its final timeout of the set. The Bucs rallied to tie the set at 19 and the teams traded points until a block by Johnson gave Furman a 23-21 lead. ETSU again tied the set, this time at 23, forcing a Furman timeout. Out of the timeout, Furman used a kill by Sikora and an ETSU attack error to take the set, 25-23, and the match, 3-0.
Furman is back in action on Saturday, as it plays host to Western Carolina in a 3 p.m. match in Alley Gym.