Women's Volleyball 9/11/2009 8:00:00 PM UNCGSpartans.com

Spartans edged late by UCF

Box Score

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Despite four Spartans finishing with double-digit kills, UNC Greensboro fell to UCF, 3-2, on Friday evening in Fleming Gymnasium.

The Spartans fell to 4-5 on the season, while the Knights improved to 8-2 this year, which marks their best start since 2001.

"I was really proud of our effort tonight by the way we came out and competed hard," said head coach Patrick Nicholas. "We need to learn to finish matches though and I feel as if that will come once we get our entire team healthy and are able to start having full scrimmages in practice. I was real proud of our defense and blocking tonight and thought our serves were a lot tougher as well. We'll take all of the positives from this match and look to build upon that as the season progresses"

Catherine Hanners led the way for the Spartans with 14 kills and 22 digs for her third double-double of the season. Caley Redden added 13 kills and Olivia Humphries had 11 kills, while Billi Baker and Emily Lindborg each chipped in 10 kills apiece. Ari Lysacek also had 51 assists for the Spartans.

Erin Campbell had 16 kills and Evija Vilde added 10 kills to lead the Knights offensively. Andee Youngblood had 47 assists and Meredith Murphy tallied 26 digs in the winning effort.

The Spartans came out on fire in the first set as they jumped out to the early 6-1 lead and never relinquished that lead. UNCG extended its lead to 18-9 later in the set on a block by Lindborg and Redden before finally finishing off the Knights, 25-14.

UNCG once again came running out of the gates in the second set as a block by Humphries and Baker gave the Spartans an 8-0 lead. The Spartans went ahead 19-9 on a kill by Hanners before taking the second set, 25-14.

UCF refused to go down without a fight and came out of the intermission an inspired team. The teams traded points continuously in the third set with the two sides finding themselves tied at 22 late in the set. A Hanners kill knotted the match at 23, but the Knights took the final two points on kills by Campbell and Vilde to win the set, 25-23.

The Spartans trailed throughout much of the fourth game, but were able to rally to tie the set at 18 on a kill by Baker. UNCG pulled within 21-20 on another kill by Baker, but that was as close as the Spartans would get as UCF took the set, 25-21.

In the fifth and final set, the two squads went point-for-point with each other and found themselves tied at six. UNCG would later tie the set at eight, but UCF won seven of the final eight points to seal the victory.

The Spartans will return to the court on Monday as they make the short trip to face High Point at 7 p.m. in the Millis Center.

AGATE

UCF def. UNC Greensboro: 14-25, 14-25, 25-23, 25-21, 15-9

UCF (8-2) (Kills-aces-blocks) - CAMPBELL, Erin 16-1-0; VILDE, Evija 10-1-3; FISHER, Kristin 8-0-1; REX, Sara 6-1-5; WILLIAMS, Lauren 5-0-2; WALLACE, Brittanie 4-0-0; YOUNGBLOOD, Andee 2-1-1; RIEDEL, Nichole 1-0-0; MURPHY, Meredith 1-0-0; Totals 53-4-7.0. (Assists) - YOUNGBLOOD, Andee 47. (Dig leaders) - MURPHY, Meredith 26; CAMPBELL, Erin 22; VILDE, Evija 10

UNC Greensboro (4-5) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Catherine Hanners 14-1-3; Caley Redden 13-1-4; Olivia Humphries 11-2-7; Emily Lindborg 10-1-5; Billi Baker 10-0-4; Ari Lysacek 2-3-3; Totals 60-8-14.0. (Assists) - Ari Lysacek 51. (Dig leaders) - Catherine Hanners 22; Kayleigh Knerr 22; Caley Redden 18; Ari Lysacek 17; Billi Baker 10