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BOONE, N.C. – Trailing 2-0 at intermission, UNCG came out strong and took the third set, but College of Charleston proved too tough as the Spartans fell to the Cougars, 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 22-25, 25-19), in the semifinals of the Southern Conference Tournament on Saturday afternoon.
The Spartans ended their season with a 22-12 record, while the Cougars improved to 29-5 this year.
Ariel Newman led the Spartans on Saturday as she recorded the lone double-double with 15 kills and 14 digs. Kayren Finney was also had double-digit kills with 11 and added a match-high five blocks. Kellie Orewiler had 13 digs, as well.
The Cougars were led by Ginny Phillips who had a match-high 16 kills and chipped in 12 digs for a double-double. Sarah Havel also had an impressive match as she recorded 11 kills and an incredible .786 hitting percentage. Cole Dawley nearly had a triple-double for the Cougars as she had 47 assists, 12 digs and nine kills.
In the opening set, College of Charleston jumped out to a 4-0 lead and then led 9-5 later in the set. UNCG then ran off four points in a row to tie the set a nine. UNCG trailed just 11-10 a few points later before CofC took the next five points to go ahead 16-10. The Spartans weren't able to cut the lead below five the rest of the way at the Cougars won the set, 25-17.
The second was just as close in the early going as a kill by Billi Baker tied the match at 12. The teams were tied again at 14 before the Cougars took a 17-14 lead and forced a UNCG timeout. CofC would go on to extend its lead to 21-16 en route to winning the set, 25-19, and taking a 2-0 lead into the locker room at intermission.
The Spartans appeared to regroup during the intermission as they came out and took the early 10-5 in the third set on a kill by Baker. The Cougars came back to cut the UNCG lead to two at 10-8, but the Spartans responded and extended its lead to 16-10.
CofC once again mounted a comeback and made it a one-point set at 17-16 after a 4-0 run, but the Spartans collected themselves and held on to win the set, 25-22, on a kill by Caley Redden.
The teams were knotted early at six in the fourth set before CofC went on a 7-1 to take control of the set at 13-7. UNCG was able to cut the Cougar lead to 18-14 later in the set, but it wasn't enough as College of Charleston took the final set, 25-19.
It was the final match for the five Spartan seniors – Baker, Finney, Redden, Alissa Beudway and Kimiko Naito.
AGATE
Coll. of Charleston def. UNCG 25-17, 25-19, 22-25, 25-19
UNCG (23-11) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Ariel Newman 15-0-1; Kayren Finney 11-0-5; Caley Redden 9-0-5; Billi Baker 8-0-2; Olivia Humphries 6-0-5; Alissa Beaudway 2-0-1; Kimiko Naito 1-0-0; Kellie Orewiler 0-1-0; Totals 52-1-10.0. (Assists) - Ari Lysacek 27; Kimiko Naito 17. (Dig leaders) - Ariel Newman 14; Kellie Orewiler 13; Caley Redden 8
Coll. of Charleston (29-5) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Ginny Phillips 16-1-0; Sarah Havel 11-0-4; Elyse Chubb 9-0-4; Cole Dawley 9-0-2; Whitney Russell 8-0-3; Madelyn McGinnis 7-0-1; Emily Shelton 0-2-0; Totals 60-3-9.0. (Assists) - Cole Dawley 47. (Dig leaders) - Paige Johnson 17; Ginny Phillips 12; Cole Dawley 12
Site: Boone, N.C. (Holmes Center)
Date: Nov 20, 2010 Attend: 243 Time: 1:51
Referees: Terry Martin, Randy McLamb
- UNCG -
