FULLERTON, CA UNC Greensboro fell to host Cal State Fullerton 3-0, but rebounded with a 3-0 sweep of Delaware at the Radisson Suites Buena Park Volleyball Classic on Saturday, Aug. 30 at Titan Gym. Set scores to the UNCG-CSU Fullerton match were 16-25, 22-25, 24-26. Set scores to the UNCG-Delaware match were 25-15, 25-22, 25-21.
In the first set against CSU Fullerton, UNCG had to contend with the Titans' solid attack as they hit .455 in the set. However, the Spartans did not allow the Titans to lead by more than three during the first part of the set. Eventually, CSU Fullerton was able to build a six-point cushion and take a 19-13 lead. UNCG cut the Titans' lead in half with a three-point run that included two kills from sophomore Billi Baker and one from Kayren Finney, but the Titans closed out the set with a six-point run.
The second set started out close until the Titans used a five-point run to take a 7-3 lead. The Spartans answered with a three straight points to make it a one-point set, but CSU Fullerton went on another five-point run to hold a 12-6 lead. However, UNCG began to fight back. After the teams traded points, a Titan service error started a four-point UNCG run that pulled the Spartans to within two and make it a 14-12 set. During that run, freshman Luciana Shafer had a kill while junior Emily Lindborg and Baker blocked an attack attempt by Deven Bukoski. The Spartans continued to close the gap as a kill by Baker sparked a three-point run that resulted in a 17-17 tied set. Although CSU Fullerton took a one-point advantage off a Brittany Moore kill, a Titan service error tied the set once again. Back-to-back kills by sophomore Alissa Beaudway and redshirt sophomore Caley Redden gave the Spartans a 20-18 lead. However, the Titans scored three-straight points to take a 21-20 lead. Shafer evened the set at 21-all and Redden notched the go-ahead kill to make it 22-21, but CSU Fullerton reeled off four straight points to take the set.
The Titans scored the first three points of the third set, but were not able to get a lead any larger than three in the early parts of the set. UNCG eventually tied the set 9-9 as CSU Fullerton's Sarah Day had an attack error. The Titans pulled ahead with an Erin Saddler kill and then took a two-point lead with a Spartan attack error. UNCG remained close behind and used a Redden kill to tie the set at 13-all. However, CSU Fullerton scored six of next seven points in order to take a 19-14 advantage. The Spartans started to rally, using two three-point runs and a two-point run to eventually make it a 22-22 set. CSU Fullerton took a one-point lead off a UNCG service error, but a kill by junior Branagan Fuller tied the set. Although Saddler's kill put the Titans ahead 24-23, another Fuller kill tied the set once again. However, CSU Fullerton tallied its final two points as Alex Wolnisty had a kill and Brittany Moore had a block.
Baker, Fuller and Redden each had a team-high five kills for the Spartans. Both junior Lisa Fawell and freshman Jenna Olbright put up 11 assists, while junior Catherine Hanners totaled 11 digs.
Moore led the Titans with a 15-kill, 11-dig double-double, while Bukoski added 13 kills. Genie Francisco had a 37-assist, 11-dig double-double. Cami Croteau tallied a match-high 14 digs.
In the first set against Delaware, the Spartans used several runs to establish control of the set. Baker scored UNCG's first point of the match, which also sparked a four-point run. Later in the set, UNCG scored three straight points and made it a 10-5 set as Delaware committed a service error and an attacking error, while Fuller recorded a service ace. UNCG used another four-point run to increase its lead to nine. After Delaware committed a service error, kills from senior Kaitlyn Nortz and Fuller and a service ace by junior Kayleigh Knerr put UNCG up 18-9. Delaware eventually took advantage of three UNCG errors to pull within seven and make the score 20-13. The Spartans and Delaware exchanged kills before a Fuller kill led to three-straight points and a 24-14 Spartan lead. A Paige Erickson kill kept the set alive for the Blue Hens, but a Delaware attacking error gave UNCG the final point it needed to win the set.
UNCG found itself trailing early in the second set as Delaware put together a five-point run to take a 9-5 lead. The Blue Hens' lead grew to seven before UNCG began to make its comeback. With Delaware holding a15-8 lead, UNCG used a seven-point run to tie the score at 15-all. During that run, Fuller and Baker each had kills and Hanners served an ace, while Delaware had three attacking errors and a bad set. The teams traded points until UNCG had a key run. A kill by Nortz tied the set at 17-17, while a pair of Fuller kills and a service ace from Kimiko Naito gave UNCG the 20-17 advantage. Although Delaware came within two on three different occasions, Hanners had the set-winning kill in order to give the Spartans a 2-0 lead in the match.
UNCG led for much of the third set. However, the Spartans had to fend off Delaware's offense for most of the set. After UNCG held a 7-3 lead off a Fuller kill, Delaware came back and evened the match at 9-9. Three-straight kills by Finney and another kill by Hanners allowed the Spartans to have a four-point cushion. However, the Blue Hens responded with a four-point run in order to knot the set up at 13-all. UNCG and Delaware traded points before kills from Finney and freshman Luciana Shafer allowed the Spartans to take a 16-14 lead. The Blue Hens scored a pair of points off UNCG errors to tie the set. A Delaware service error and a Naito ace allowed UNCG to regain a two-point lead. Dennehy's kill pulled the Blue Hens to within one, but a pair of runs further increased UNCG's lead. Fuller had a kill and a service ace in order to make it a 20-17 set in favor of the Spartans. Meanwhile, Beaudway's kill started a three-point run that allowed the Spartans to take a five-point 23-18 lead, its largest of the set. Delaware trimmed the Spartans' lead down to three at two different occasions, but Shafer notched the match-winning kill in order to give UNCG its first win of the season.
Fuller led the Spartans with a 10-kill, 12-dig double-double. Naito and Fawell put up 15 and 14 assists, respectively. Knerr tallied 15 digs.
Dennehy led the Blue Hens with 10 kills. Jess Chason had a match-high 23 assists, while Stephanie Barry totaled 15 digs.
At the end of the tournament, Hanners was named to the All-Tournament Team. In nine sets played, Hanners totaled 25 digs, four kills and five assists. She also served five service aces.
UNCG returns to action on Wednesday, Sept. 3 for its home-opener against North Carolina A&T at Fleming Gymnasium. Match time is scheduled for 7 p.m.
AGATE
CSU Fullerton def. UNC Greensboro 25-16, 25-22, 26-24
UNCG (0-2) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Branagan Fuller 5-0-0; Billi Baker 5-0-3; Caley Redden 5-0-1; Alissa Beaudway 4-0-2; Luciana Shafer 3-0-1; Kaitlyn Nortz 3-0-2; Emily Lindborg 3-0-2; Kayren Finney 2-0-1; Catherine Hanners 0-1-1; Totals 30-1-6.5. (Assists) - Lisa Fawell 11; Jenna Olbright 11. (Dig leaders) - Catherine Hanners 11; Luciana Shafer 5
CSF (2-0) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Moore, Brittany 15-0-1; Bukoski, Deven 13-0-1; Day, Sarah 8-1-1; Saddler, Erin 7-0-0; Wolnisty, Alex 5-0-1; Collier, Ashley 1-1-0; Francisco, Genie 1-1-0; Totals 50-3-3.0. (Assists) - Francisco, Genie 37. (Dig leaders) - Croteau, Cami 14; Moore, Brittany 11; Francisco, Genie 11; Collier, Ashley 8
UNC Greensboro def. Delaware 25-15, 25-22, 25-21
DELAWARE (0-3) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Dennehy, Katie 10-1-2; Bonk, Meghan 6-0-1; LaLonde, Michelle 5-0-3; Chason, Jess 3-1-2; Erickson, Paige 3-0-2; Murphy, Cindy 2-0-0; DelleDonne, Elena 1-0-0; Gibboney, Greta 0-2-0; Barry, Stephanie 0-1-0; Totals 30-5-5.0. (Assists) - Chason, Jess 23. (Dig leaders) - Barry, Stephanie 15; Gibboney, Greta 10; Stewart, Kim 9
UNCG (1-2) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Branagan Fuller 10-2-2; Kayren Finney 7-0-4; Kaitlyn Nortz 5-0-1; Billi Baker 4-0-1; Catherine Hanners 3-2-1; Luciana Shafer 2-0-0; Alissa Beaudway 2-0-1; Lisa Fawell 2-0-0; Kimiko Naito 0-3-0; Kayleigh Knerr 0-2-0; Totals 35-9-6.0. (Assists) - Kimiko Naito 15; Lisa Fawell 14. (Dig leaders) - Kayleigh Knerr 15; Branagan Fuller 12; Catherine Hanners 9; Kimiko Naito 8
All-Tournament Team
Julie Rubenstein, Pepperdine (Tournament MVP)
Cassi Chamberlain, Pepperdine
Stevi Robinson, Pepperdine
Sarah Day, CSU Fullerton
Brittany Moore, CSU Fullerton
Catherine Hanners, UNC Greensboro
Stephanie Barry, Delaware
- UNCG -
