Women's Volleyball 9/3/2010 8:00:00 PM UNCGSpartans.com

UNCG sweeps S.C. State to open UNCW Tournament

Box Score

WILMINGTON, N.C. – UNCG received a match-high eight kills from Ariel Newman and Olivia Humphries to lead the Spartans to a sweep over South Carolina State, 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-17), on Friday afternoon in the first match of the UNCW Courtyard by Marriott Tournament. It was the third sweep for the Spartans in their first six matches and their second in as many matches.

The Spartans improved their perfect record to 6-0 so far this season, while the Bulldogs fell to 1-4.

It is the first time that UNCG has started a season 6-0 since the 1984 team began the year 17-0 en route to winning the Dixie Conference Championship and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Division III National Championships.

"Today was another great win for us as a team," said head coach Patrick Nicholas. "The biggest thing today was being really focused and coming out strong. We wanted to get off to a good and fast start in each set and I think we accomplished that during the match."

In addition to Newman and Humphries, senior Kayren Finney helped lead the offense as she added six kills and freshman Karrian Chambers had five. Newman chipped in a team-high eight digs and Ari Lysacek had a team-high 15 assists. Finney, Humphries and Alissa Beaudway also tied for a match-high four blocks each.

The Spartans opened the first set by taking an early 8-4 lead on a kill by Newman. The Bulldogs fought back though to pull within 13-11, but that was as close as they would get the rest of the set. UNCG responded with a 12-4 run to close out the set and win 25-15 on a Billi Baker kill.

It was more of the same from UNCG in the second set as it led from wire-to-wire in the set. The Spartans used a pair of kills from Newman and a kill by Chambers to hop out to a 5-1 lead. UNCG led 15-10 later in the set before taking advantage of three Bulldog errors and a kill by Humphries to go ahead, 19-10. The Spartans would go on to win the set, 25-16, on a kill by Finney.

UNCG fell behind 5-4 in the third and final, but as they have numerous times this season they went on a run to put the set out of reach. The Spartans went on a 15-5 run to take a 19-10 lead as they went on to take the set, 25-17.

The Spartans will return to action on Saturday as they face UCF at 1 p.m. before ending the tournament against host UNC Wilmington at 7:30 p.m.

AGATE

UNCG def. South Carolina State 25-15,25-16,25-17

South Carolina State (1-4) (Kills-aces-blocks) - WEBB,Elizabeth 6-0-0; WALLER,Desire 6-0-0; LIGONS,Peri 6-1-0; ROBERSON,Shabree 5-0-0; GLEATON,Jarne 3-0-1; ITUAH,Shaina 1-0-0; LEWIS,Alyse 1-0-1; Totals 28-1-1.0. (Assists) - BRIMMER,Bria 23. (Dig leaders) - BRIMMER,Bria 9; ROBINSON,Melissa 7

UNCG (6-0) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Olivia Humphries 8-1-4; Ariel Newman 8-1-1; Kayren Finney 6-0-4; Karrian Chambers 5-3-0; Billi Baker 3-0-0; Ari Lysacek 1-0-1; Kimiko Naito 1-1-0; Alissa Beaudway 1-1-4; Totals 33-7-8.0. (Assists) - Ari Lysacek 15. (Dig leaders) - Ariel Newman 8; Karrian Chambers 7