For video of coach Patrick Nicholas' comments after the Georgia Southern match, click here.
GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG came out and easily took the first two sets before dropping the next two and having to rally in the fifth and final set to defeat Georgia Southern, 3-2 (25-17, 25-18, 15-25, 19-25, 16-14), on Saturday evening in Fleming Gymnasium.
With the two teams knotted at 2-all, they settled in for a fifth and deciding set. After trading points early, UNCG (12-12, 4-4 Southern Conference) took an 8-6 lead at the crossover. The Eagles responded with a 7-3 run to go ahead, 13-11. The Spartans then got a kill from Morgan Freeman and Karrian Chambers to tie the match at 13 before an Eagle attack error gave UNCG match point.
After a Spartan attack error tied the set at 14, UNCG had match point again after a Georgia Southern service error. This time, UNCG took advantage and got a huge block from Ari Lysacek and Vicky Harley to win the set 16-14.
Chambers led the Spartans with 15 kills and 12 digs for the lone double-double on the team. Freeman added 13 kills and a .407 hitting percentage, while Ariel Newman had 12 kills of her own. Chelsea Evans also chipped in nine kills and hit .500 for the match.
The Eagles (12-11, 4-3 SoCon) were paced by Bethany Sanford who had 19 kills and Parker Small who had 11 kills. Kate Van Dyke had a match-high 46 assists and tied for a match-high with 15 digs to record a double-double.
UNCG came out and started the match with a lot of energy as it raced out to a 13-9 lead midway through the first set. The Spartans led just 17-14 later in the set before ending the set on an 8-3 run to win the opening set, 25-17.
The Spartans carried that momentum into the second set as they took the early 6-3 lead. UNCG would stretch its lead out to as many as nine in the set at 22-13 on a kill by Chambers. A kill by Newman gave UNCG the set, 25-18, and a 2-0 lead heading into intermission.
The momentum quickly swung towards Georgia Southern after the break as they took an 8-4 lead. UNCG would rally back to pull within two at 13-11, but the Eagles closed out the set on a 12-4 run to easily win the set, 25-15.
The fourth set was much closer in the early going as the teams were tied at 12-all. Georgia Southern then went on a run to take a 17-13 lead before the Spartans closed it to two at 21-19 on a kill by Newman to force an Eagle timeout. After the timeout, Georgia Southern took advantage of two Spartan attack errors and back-to-back kills from Sanford gave the Eagles the set, 25-19.
The Spartans will begin a four-match road trip on Friday as they head for Furman for a 6 p.m. contest.
AGATE
UNCG def. Georgia Southern 25-17, 25-18, 15-25, 19-25, 16-14
Georgia Southern (12-11, 4-3 SoCon) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Bethany Sanford 19-1-2; Parker Small 11-1-3; Meredith Paskert 9-0-1; Hannah Nelson 6-0-2; Enjoli Johnson 5-0-2; Moriah Bellissimo 3-0-2; Kate Van Dyke 2-0-2; Hayli Ketner 0-1-0; Lauren LaRocque 0-1-0; Totals 55-4-7.5. (Assists) - Kate Van Dyke 46. (Dig leaders) - Moriah Bellissimo 15; Kate Van Dyke 15; Bethany Sanford 9
UNCG (12-12, 4-4 SoCon) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Karrian Chambers 15-1-1; Morgan Freeman 13-0-3; Ariel Newman 12-0-3; Chelsea Evans 9-1-1; Vicky Harley 7-0-3; Ari Lysacek 5-0-2; Sarah Eldridge 0-1-0; Kellie Orewiler 0-2-0; Totals 61-5-6.5. (Assists) - Ari Lysacek 41. (Dig leaders) - Kellie Orewiler 15; Karrian Chambers 12; Ari Lysacek 8
Site: Greensboro, N.C. (Fleming Gymnasium)
Date: Oct 15, 2011 Attend: 453 Time: 2:07
Referees: Stephen Shepard, Brian Jones
- UNCG -
