Women's Volleyball 10/29/2005 8:00:00 PM UNCGSpartans.com

Appalachian State too much for UNCG in women’s volleyball action

Box Score

GREENSBORO, NC – Brittany Zahn and Dianna Thomas combined for 37 kills to lead Appalachian State to a 3-1 victory over UNC Greensboro in Southern Conference women's volleyball action Saturday afternoon at Fleming Gym.

Zahn posted a match-high 21 kills to run the Mountaineers (19-7, 12-2 SoCon) winning streak to nine straight. Thomas added 16 kills, while Lorelle Rau doled out 53 assists and Kali Rumberger had a match-leading 20 digs.

Junior Hilary Overby led UNCG (3-20, 1-11 SoCon) with 11 kills, while freshman Kaitlyn Nortz put away 10 kills. Sophomore Ashley Smith had a team-high 16 digs, while senior Adrian Hicks dished out 39 assists. Nortz and sophomore Lauren Keiser came up with six and five blocks respectively.

UNCG had its sights set on pulling an upset over the second place Mountaineers. The Spartans played the Mountaineers straight up for most of game one. The score remained tied 19-19 when ASU rattled of nine straight points to take a commanding 28-19 lead. UNCG answered back with five straight points of its own but it proved to be too late in dropping game one 30-25.

The Spartans started fast in game two by taking an 11-8 lead. Nortz extended the lead to 18-14 on a kill moments later, but ASU ran off four straight to tie the score at 18-18 on a kill by Amy Lewis. A Spartan kill by freshman Liz Benzschawel snapped the tie and UNCG never gave the lead back in a 30-26 win. Nortz would cap off the game two win with a kill.

After the intermission, the Mountaineers gained an early 8-3 lead on back-to-back service aces by Rau in game three. ASU controlled play throughout and extended its lead to as much as 10 points, 26-16, before closing out the game 30-22.

Game four saw the Spartans grab a 6-2 early lead before ASU tied it up at 8-8. The game would feature seven more ties with the last being at 21-21. Two straight Zaun kills put the Mountaineers up 23-21, which led to Rebecca Sorensen's lone kill of the match that clinched the 30-24 game four win and a hard fought 3-1 road victory over the Spartans.

ASU sweeps the season series with UNCG and now owns a 14-13 advantage in the all-time head-to-head series.

UNCG returns to action tomorrow when the Spartans host SoCon rival Davidson for a 2 pm contest at Fleming Gym. Meanwhile, Appalachian State will visit College of Charleston in a match-up of the top two teams in the SoCon. The match is scheduled for Friday, November 4 at 7 pm in Charleston, SC.

AGATE

Appalachian State def. UNC Greensboro 3-1 (30-25, 26-30, 30-22, 30-24)

Appalachian State (19-7, 12-2 SoCon) (Kills-aces-blocks) – Brittany Zahn 21-0-3; Dianna Thomas 16-0-0; Chrissy Finch 9-6-2; Amy Lewis 7-1-5; Carla Durham 6-0-3; Lorelle Rau 5-4-1; Rebecca Sorensen 1-2-0; Charissa Clearman 0-1-0; Kali Rumberger 0-2-0; Ashley Fliehr 0-0-1; Totals 65-16-8.0. (Assists) - Lorelle Rau 53. (Dig leaders) – Kali Rumberger 20; Chrissy Finch 12; Lorelle Rau 9.

UNC Greensboro (3-20, 1-11 SoCon) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Hilary Overby 11-1-0; Kaitlyn Nortz 10-2-6; Liz Benzschawel 9-0-1; Lauren Richards 7-0-2; Lauren Keiser 6-1-5; Adrian Hicks 6-3-1; Ashley Smith 0-1-0; Totals 49-8-9.0. (Assists) - Adrian Hicks 39. (Dig leaders) – Ashley Smith 16; Adrian Hicks 9; Lauren Keiser 8.