UNCG-Gardner Webb Box Score

Boiling Springs, NC - Senior LaJean Morrow posted a team-best 28 kills as the UNC Greensboro volleyball team edged Gardner-Webb, 3-2, Tuesday evening. With the win UNCG moves to 8-22 overall and eclipses last year's win total of seven.

Gardner-Webb fell behind early in the opener and trailed 10-4 before Senior Laura Murfee sparked a 5-0 rally by putting down two service aces. A kill by Kristie Brinkley capped the rally and brought the 'Dogs to within a single point at 10-9. Yet another kill by Brinkley knotted the teams at 11-11 and GWU went on to take the 14-11 advantage. The Lady Bulldogs held the lead and extended it to 25-20 before UNCG responded. The Spartans valiantly rallied back to pull even at 27-27, and grabbed the 28-27 lead before a Murfee kill tied it up once more. Lori Brooks then collected back-to-back kills for UNCG to give the Spartans a hard-fought 30-28 win in game one.

Game two saw UNCG jump out to a 7-2 lead behind four kills from Morrow. A Maggie Cornwall kill made it 7-3 and Melanie Custer then served six consecutive points, as GWU stormed back to claim the 9-7 lead. In yet another spurt, and change of momentum, UNCG rattled off nine straight to take control of the match at 16-9. Gardner-Webb could get no closer than six from that point on, and fell 24-30.

Seniors Sara Alford and Murfee each smacked down a kill to put GWU up 2-1 in the third game, and the Bulldogs never looked back as they defeated the Spartans, 30-18, to force a fourth game. GWU connected on 17 kills in just 40 attempts, while only making three errors (.350%)

Things looked bleak early in game four, as GWU failed to maintain the game-three momentum, and fell behind 9-4. However, back-to-back kills by Brinkley cut the deficit to 10-7 and a UNCG kill by Morrow sandwiched by two kills from Cornwall made it a two-point game at 12-10 in favor of UNCG. Consecutive attack errors by the Spartans forced a tie and Gardner-Webb took control, opening up a 23-16 Bulldog advantage. Greensboro managed to fight back into the game and clawed to within 27-26 before Cornwall posted three kills to give GWU the 30-27 win, force a decisive game five.

Game-five started out with Morrow and Brinkley trading shots as UNCG went ahead 2-1 behind two Morrow kills. GWU then seemed to run out of steam and the Spartans raced to a 9-1 lead before coasting to the 15-6 win and winning the match 3-2.

UNCG was led by LaJean Morrow who had 28 kills (.426%), two solo blocks and three block assists. Lori Brooks notched a double-double with 13 kills and 15 digs, and Lori Collins also reached double figure kills with 11.

Kristie Brinkley notched a new career high with 29 kills (.301%) to lead GWU. Cornwall had 17 kills and 16 digs for her eighth double-double of the year and Carrie Brinkley had 57 assists, 13 digs and five kills. Sara Alford racked up eight kills, two block assists and a solo block and Laura Murfee posted four kills, two aces and one block assist. Jenna McNeely and Melanie Custer added 11 and 10 digs respectively.

UNCG will return to action on November 14, as the Spartans visit SoCon rival East Tennessee State at 7 pm.