GREENSBORO, NC UNC Greensboro's volleyball team hit over .300 for the first time since Sept. 6 as the Spartans swept The Citadel, 3-0, on Saturday in Southern Conference action at Fleming Gymnasium. Set scores were 25-15, 26-24, 25-14.
The Spartans registered a .319 hitting percentage, making 42 kills off 91 total attacks with 13 errors. UNCG last hit over .300 in its 3-0 sweep of South Carolina State at the HPU Volleyball Classic presented by Radisson Hotel. In that match, the Spartans made 46 kills off 93 total attacks and committed just 15 errors en route to hitting .333.
Sophomores Kayren Finney and Alissa Beaudway and junior Emily Lindborg each hit over .500. Finney had a match-best .583, making eight kills off 12 total attacks with one error. Beaudway made six kills off nine total attacks with one error for a .556 hitting percentage, while Lindborg hit .500 with four kills off six total attacks with one error. Junior Branagan Fuller had 12 kills and was the only player to reach double-digits in kills. Junior Lisa Fawell had a match-high 19 assists, while classmate Catherine Hanners had 12 digs.
Tatum Jestila led the Bulldogs with eight kills. Emily Hill had 15 assists, while Ashley Winter recorded nine digs.
Both teams used runs early in the first set to stay close to each other. However, with the score tied 9-9, a kill by Fuller started a four-point run for the Spartans to make it 13-9. UNCG gradually increased its lead by scoring two-straight points on three occasions. Another Fuller kill ultimately made it a 19-12 set. The Citadel pulled to within five with kills from Emily Hill and Rachel Sanders, but UNCG scored six of the set's last seven points to win the set. The Spartans closed out the set with a block assist by sophomore Billi Baker and junior Samantha Kirby.
In the second set, the Bulldogs held the early lead, but UNCG used a pair of three-point runs to establish a 9-6 lead. The Citadel pulled to within two on three occasions, including using a Spartan attack error to make it 11-9 in favor of UNCG. However, a kill by Baker sparked a four-point run that provided the Spartans with a six-point, 15-9 cushion. The teams traded points until the Bulldogs got back-to-back kills from Blaine McAllister and Sanders to cut The Citadel's deficit down to four. Straight Fuller kills allowed UNCG to regain a six-point advantage, but The Citadel notched eight of the next nine points in order to take a 21-20 lead. However, three-straight Bulldog errors and a Fuller ace made it a 24-21 UNCG advantage. The Citadel used a Jestila kill to start a three-point run to even the set up at 24-24. The Spartans ultimately won the set off a Lindborg kill and a Bulldog attack error en route to taking a 2-0 lead in the match.
In the third set, UNCG used a seven-point run to establish control of the third set. With The Citadel up 5-4, a kill by Beaudway sparked the Spartans' run as UNCG went up 11-5. The Citadel eventually trimmed UNCG's lead down to four on two occasions. UNCG ultimately regained a seven-point cushion as Beaudway and Finney blocked a Bulldog attack to make it 19-12. After a Spartan service error, freshman Luciana Shafer had a kill that was the first of five-straight UNCG points to give the Spartans a 24-13 advantage. UNCG ultimately won the set and the match off a Finney kill.
The Spartans return to action on Sunday when the four-time defending SoCon Champion College of Charleston visits Fleming Gymnasium. Match time is set for 5 p.m.
AGATE
UNC Greensboro def. The Citadel 25-15,26-24,25-14
The Citadel (6-12, 0-6 SoCon) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Tatum Jestila 8-1-2; Amanda Beal 7-0-2; Rachel Sanders 6-1-1; Jessica Maas 4-0-3; Emily Hill 1-0-0; Blaine McAllister 1-0-1; Ashley Winter 0-2-0; Shannon Frain 0-0-1; Totals 27-4-5.5. (Assists) - Emily Hill 15. (Dig leaders) - Ashley Winter 9; Alyssa Holum 5
UNCG (12-7, 4-2 SoCon) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Branagan Fuller 12-1-0; Kayren Finney 8-0-3; Alissa Beaudway 6-0-2; Emily Lindborg 4-1-0; Kaitlyn Nortz 4-0-1; Billi Baker 3-0-2; Luciana Shafer 3-0-3; Kimiko Naito 1-0-0; Lisa Fawell 1-0-0; Samantha Kirby 0-0-1; Catherine Hanners 0-1-0; Totals 42-3-6.5. (Assists) - Lisa Fawell 19; Kimiko Naito 15. (Dig leaders) - Catherine Hanners 12; Luciana Shafer 8; Branagan Fuller 8
