GREENSBORO, NC UNC Greensboro defeated Charlotte 3-2 on Tuesday night at Fleming Gymnasium. Set scores were 23-25, 25-23, 25-20, 18-25, 15-11.
In the first set, the Spartans led by as many as four before Charlotte began to rally. A Charlotte attack error gave UNCG the 12-8 edge, but a three-point run by the 49ers evened the set at 13-13. After UNCG and Charlotte exchanged service errors, a kill by sophomore Alissa Beaudway sparked a three-point run that allowed the Spartans to take a 17-14 advantage. However, Charlotte reeled off four straight points in order to take a 19-18 lead. Sophomore Kayren Finney had a kill that tied the set at 19-all, but a UNCG service error and a Kara Raker kill gave the 49ers a two-point lead. Charlotte pushed its lead to four as a Kat Hicks kill made it a 24-20 set, but the Spartans recorded three-straight points to pull to within one. However, a UNCG service error gave the 49ers the final point of the set.
The second set proved to be just as close as the first one, but this time with the Spartans coming away with the set win. The largest lead of the set was just three points, a margin the Spartans held at four different times. An attacking error by the 49ers gave UNCG the early 8-5 lead. A kill by Raker cut UNCG's lead down to two, but the Spartans responded with a kill by junior Branagan Fuller to regain their three-point advantage. Charlotte kept fighting back and tied the set five times before taking a 17-16 lead off a UNCG error. However, back-to-back kills from senior Kaitlyn Nortz and Finney allowed UNCG to retake the lead. UNCG eventually took a 21-18 advantage off a 49er miscue, but a Hicks kill pulled Charlotte to within two. The Spartans got its final three-point lead on the next play as Charlotte had an attacking error to make it 22-19. Two-straight kills by Hicks made it a one-point set before Finney had a kill to give UNCG the 23-21 edge. Kills by Hicks and Kaitlin Knight tied the set up at 23-all, but two-straight Charlotte attacking errors gave the Spartans their last two points.
In the third set, the 49ers had an early run, but the Spartans scored back-to-back points on several occasions en route to taking the third set. Charlotte's run came as a Hicks kill tied the set at 2-2 and was the first of three-straight Charlotte points. UNCG had its first of two three-point runs come not too long after Charlotte's. The run began as Nortz and Fuller blocked Knight's attack and ultimately ended with a kill from freshman Luciana Shafer to make it 6-5 in favor of the Spartans. Charlotte tied the set 6-6 on the next point with Jennifer Webb and Priscilla Barbanell having a block. UNCG attempted to inch away, holding several two-point advantages before a kill by Hicks knotted the set up at 10-all. The Spartans eventually began to pull away. Three-straight kills from Nortz, Fuller and Beaudway allowed UNCG to build a 15-11 lead. UNCG ultimately increased its lead to five on six different occasions, including on the final point of the set as Fuller notched the set-winning kill to give UNCG the 25-20 win.
Charlotte rebounded in the fourth set as the 49ers did not give up the lead during the set. The 49ers used multiple runs to eventually hold an 18-9 advantage. UNCG battled back and eventually scored four-straight points to cut Charlotte's lead down to five to make it 20-15. After trading points, Charlotte scored three of the final four points of the set in order to tie the match at 2-2 and force a deciding fifth set.
With UNCG trailing 5-4 in the fifth set, the Spartans had a timely four-point run to take an 8-5 lead. A Charlotte service error tied the set at 5-5, while a kill from sophomore Billi Baker and back-to-back kills from Kayren Finney gave the Spartans the three-point edge. UNCG eventually took a 12-8 lead off a service ace by junior Catherine Hanners. From that point, UNCG and Charlotte traded points before a kill by Finney sealed the match win for the Spartans.
Fuller led the Spartans with 16 kills. She also recorded 13 digs for her fifth double-double of the season. Finney added 13 kills. Junior Lisa Fawell and sophomore Kimiko Naito recorded 22 and 20 assists, respectively. Hanners totaled a team-high 18 digs.
Hicks posted a match-high 27 kills, while Courtney Cowles had a match-high 46 assists. Carly Romberg tallied 23 digs.
UNCG is back in action Tuesday, Sept. 16 when the Spartans host High Point at Fleming Gymnasium. Match time is scheduled for 7 p.m.
AGATE
UNC Greensboro def. Charlotte 23-25,25-23,25-20,18-25,15-11
CHARLOTTE (5-3) (Kills-aces-blocks) - HICKS, Kathleen 27-0-2; RAKER, Kara 14-0-5; KNIGHT, Kaitlin 10-2-1; COWLES, Courtney 3-1-1; WEBB, Jennifer 3-1-5; BARBANELL, Priscilla 2-0-4; ROMBERG, Carly 0-2-0; Totals
59-6-11.0. (Assists) - COWLES, Courtney 46. (Dig leaders) - ROMBERG, Carly 23; COWLES, Courtney 15; REES, Abbie 13; HICKS, Kathleen 8
UNCG (6-3) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Branagan Fuller 16-0-1; Kayren Finney 13-0-3; Alissa Beaudway 7-0-2; Kaitlyn Nortz 5-1-4; Billi Baker 5-0-4; Luciana Shafer 2-0-0; Catherine Hanners 2-3-1; Clara Tse 1-0-0; Kayleigh Knerr 0-1-0; Totals 51-5-8.0. (Assists) - Lisa Fawell 22; Kimiko Naito 20. (Dig leaders) - Catherine Hanners 18; Branagan Fuller 13; Kimiko Naito 8
- UNCG -
