GREENSBORO, NC – UNC Greensboro fell to Missouri State 3-0 on Sunday, Sept. 7 at Fleming Gymnasium. Set scores were 18-25, 19-25, 21-25.
UNCG took its only lead of the first set early on as the Spartans had a three-point run to go up 7-6. A kill from sophomore Alissa Beaudway began the run, while senior Kaitlyn Nortz recorded back-to-back kills to give UNCG the lead. However, the Bears answered with three-straight points of their own to move ahead 9-7. Two consecutive kills from junior Branagan Fuller tied allowed UNCG to tie the set 9-9, but Missouri State put together a four-point run to take a 13-9 lead. Although the Spartans pulled to within three on four different occasions, the Bears recorded five straight points to push their advantage to eight. Missouri State ultimately won the first set with a kill from Sara Staubach.
In the second set, the Spartans had to contend with a strong Missouri State offense that scored the first five points of the set. The Bears also used several early runs to take a pair of eight-point advantages. However, UNCG fought back. With the score 16-11 in favor of Missouri State, a kill from sophomore Kayren Finney and a Catherine Hanners service ace pulled the Spartans to within three. The teams traded points until Missouri State got back-to-back kills from Addie Foley to go ahead 20-15. UNCG cut the Bears' lead down to three again, but that proved to be as close as the Spartans could get as Missouri State scored straight points at two different times to close out the set.
Early in the third set, UNCG had to claw its way back from several four-point deficits. With Missouri State up 12-8, freshman Luciana Shafer had a kill that was the first of three-straight UNCG points to move the Spartans to within one. The Bears regained a two-point advantage with a Cara Hackmann kill, but a kill by Beaudway and a Missouri State setting error knotted the set up at 13-all. Missouri State scored the next four points to go ahead 17-13. The Bears eventually pushed their advantage to five points, using a kill by Ashley Kell to take a 20-15 lead. The Spartans answered with a Finney kill that sparked a four-point run to make it a 20-19 set in favor of the Bears. The two teams traded points before Missouri State tallied the final three points it needed to win the set and the match.
Both Beaudway and Finney recorded a team-high eight kills. Meanwhile, sophomore Billi Baker posted a .444 hitting percentage, making four kills off nine total attacks with no errors. Junior Lisa Fawell put up 17 assists, while sophomore Kimiko Naito had 15. Junior Catherine Hanners had a match-best 13 digs.
Staubach posted a match-best .458 hitting percentage, recording a match-high 12 kills off 24 total attacks with one error. Kell recorded a match-high 29 assists, while Terri Del Conte totaled 10 digs.
UNCG returns to action on Tuesday, Sept. 9 when the Spartans host Charlotte at Fleming Gymnasium. Match time is set for 7 p.m.
AGATE
Missouri State def. UNC Greensboro 25-18,25-19,25-21
MSU (4-3) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Staubach,Sara 12-1-2; Foley,Addie 9-0-0; Hackmann,Cara 9-0-2; Fuller,Bethany 4-0-7; Kell,Ashley 3-2-2; Michnowicz,Kelley 3-0-2; Norman,Calli 1-0-0; Totals 41-3-9.0. (Assists) - Kell,Ashley 29. (Dig leaders) - Del Conte,Terri 10; Vandepopulier,Nikki 9; Hackmann,Cara 8
UNCG (5-3) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Kayren Finney 8-0-4; Alissa Beaudway 8-0-3; Kaitlyn Nortz 7-0-1; Branagan Fuller 6-0-1; Billi Baker 4-0-2; Luciana Shafer 2-0-0; Catherine Hanners 1-2-1; Kimiko Naito 1-0-0; Lisa Fawell 0-1-0; Totals 37-3-6.5. (Assists) - Lisa Fawell 17; Kimiko Naito 15. (Dig leaders) - Catherine Hanners 13; Branagan Fuller 5
- UNCG -
