CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Karrian Chambers and Ariel Newman each had a match-high 16 kills and Ari Lysacek nearly had a triple-double as UNCG defeated Western Carolina, (3-1 (25-20, 30-28, 18-25, 25-17), on Sunday afternoon in the Ramsey Center.
The win pulled the Spartans (14-14, 6-6 Southern Conference) into a tie with the Catamounts for third place in the North Division.
In addition to her 16 kills, Newman added 12 digs for a double-double. Lysacek nearly had the first triple-double for UNCG this season with 39 assists, 19 digs and eight kills.
Kellie Orewiler also had a career-high 36 digs, which marks the third time this year she has surpassed the 30-dig mark. That ranks as a tie for the fourth-most digs in a four-set match this season in the nation.
Caitlin Piechota led the Catamounts (12-16, 6-6 SoCon) with 16 kills and 11 digs for a double-double and Jordan Timmerman had a double-double of her own with 10 kills and 14 digs.
In the opening set, the two sides were tied at 10-all before Western Carolina jumped out to a 15-11 lead on a kill by Piechota. UNCG would rally to tie the set at 19 before ending the set on a 6-1 run to win the set, 25-20.
The Spartans carried that momentum into the second set by taking the first six points in the set. UNCG would lead by as many as eight at 15-7 after a block by Chambers and Vicky Harley before Western Carolina begin chipping away at the Spartan lead.
The Catamounts would eventually tie the set at 19 before eventually having set point at 24-23. A kill by Morgan Freeman and a block by Freeman and Lysacek would then give UNCG set point at 25-24. After another set point for the Catamounts at 26-25, the Spartans had two more chances to close out the set at 27-26 and 28-27, but wasn't able to convert. After a Newman kill set up another set point at 29-28, UNCG was finally able to convert as Harley and Kelsey Sidney came up with a huge block to win the set, 30-28.
Western Carolina came out of the break and took control in the third set by taking a 16-11 lead for force a Spartan timeout. UNCG was forced to use another timeout after falling behind 20-14 as the Catamounts took the set, 25-18.
In the final set, UNCG held a narrow 11-9 lead in the early going before going on a 9-2 run to take a 20-11 lead en route to winning the set, 25-17.
The Spartans will return home for the first time in nearly three weeks on Friday as they host Chattanooga at 6 p.m.
AGATE
UNCG def. Western Carolina 25-20, 30-28, 18-25, 25-17
UNCG (14-14, 6-6 SoCon) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Ariel Newman 16-0-0; Karrian Chambers 16-0-1; Morgan Freeman 11-0-5; Ari Lysacek 8-0-4; Kelsey Sidney 8-0-5; Vicky Harley 4-0-5; Kellie Orewiler 1-1-0; Sarah Eldridge 1-0-0; Totals 65-1-10.0. (Assists) - Ari Lysacek 39; Sarah Eldridge 19. (Dig leaders) - Kellie Orewiler 36; Ari Lysacek 19; Sarah Eldridge 14; Ariel Newman 12
Western Carolina (11-17, 6-6 SoCon) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Caitlin Piechota 17-1-0; Carrie Minogue 12-2-2; Jordan Timmermann 10-0-1; Rebecca Stoltz 9-3-1; Abbey Scroggins 5-0-0; Addy George 1-0-0; Totals 54-6-3.0. (Assists) - Brittany Lysik 47. (Dig leaders) - Morgan Cochran 21; Brittany Lysik 19; Paige McConlogue 17; Jordan Timmermann 14; Caitlin Piechota 11
Site: Cullowhee, N.C. (Ramsey Center)
Date: Oct 30, 2011 Attend: 148 Time: 2:01
Referees: Dianne Penner, Courtney Sturman
- UNCG -
