STATESBORO, GA – Western Carolina swept UNC Greensboro 3-0 in the first round of the 2005 Southern Conference Volleyball Championship Thursday afternoon at Hanner Fieldhouse on the campus of Georgia Southern University.

UNCG (5-26) senior Lauren Richards garnered 11 kills in the setback for the Spartans. Freshman Kaitlyn Nortz and junior Hilary Overby added 10 and nine kills respectively. Senior Adrian Hicks capped off her career with 31 assists and nine digs, while sophomore Alysia Rosvold came up with a match-high 21 digs.

Heather Koontz had 13 kills for the Catamounts (9-24) in the win, while Meghan Boyle dished out 29 assists and had 10 digs.

Overby led UNCG with 345 kills on the year and was second with 288 digs. Nortz had a team-leading 121 blocks to tie for the fourth most in a season at UNCG and put away 268 kills. Richards had 246 kills and 82 blocks on the year, while Hicks doled out an even 1,100 assists and had 215 digs in the duo's final season as a Spartan. Fellow senor Lori Collins had 117 kills for the year.

Rosvold came up with 405 digs to lead the team, while sophomore Lauren Keiser had 225 kills and 227 digs. Sophomore Ashley Smith had 203 digs.

Western Carolina moves on face second-seeded Appalachian State in the quarterfinals at 4:30 pm on Friday.

AGATE

Western Carolina def. UNC Greensboro 3-0 (30-27, 30-25, 30-20)

UNC Greensboro (5-26) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Lauren Richards 11-0-5; Kaitlyn Nortz 10-0-1; Hilary Overby 9-4-1; Lauren Keiser 7-0-4; Ashley Smith 1-0-0; Adrian Hicks 1-1-1; Lori Collins 1-0-0; Totals 40-5-6.0. (Assists) - Adrian Hicks 31. (Dig leaders) - Alysia Rosvold 21; Adrian Hicks 9; Ashley Smith 9.

Western Carolina (9-24) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Heather Koontz 13-1-1; Meredith Harmon 9-1-4; Ellie Talbot 9-1-1; Krista Neumann 8-2-2; Meghan Boyle 6-0-3; Elaine Castle 2-0-1; Danielle Spitzer 2-0-3; Kate Willard 0-1-0; Totals 49-6-8.0. (Assists) - Meghan Boyle 39. (Dig leaders) - Ellie Talbot 18; Kate Willard 14; Krista Neumann 10; Meghan Boyle 10.

- UNCG -