ELON, N.C. – UNCG got double-digit kills from three players and held a 2-1 lead after the third set, but conference rival Elon rallied to defeat the Spartans, 3-2 (25-12, 25-27, 21-25, 25-14, 15-13), on Friday evening in Alumni Gym.
With the loss, UNCG (15-16, 7-8 Southern Conference) will need a win on Saturday against College of Charleston or an Elon loss to The Citadel in order to secure a bid for the 2011 Southern Conference Tournament.
After Elon (18-13, 6-9 SoCon) won the fourth set 25-14, the two sides settled in for a fifth and deciding set. In the set, UNCG score four unanswered points to take a 7-6 lead, but the Phoenix answered with a 5-0 run to go ahead, 11-7.
The Phoenix would have match point at 14-10 after a kill from Caroline Lemke, but the Spartans were able to rally back and make the deficit just 14-13 after an Elon attack error. Elon would then use a timeout before a kill by Danielle Smith gave the home team the final set, 15-13.
Karrian Chambers led the Spartans with 14 kills and Ariel Newman and Morgan Freeman also had 10 kills each. Newman had the lone double-double for UNCG as she also had 10 digs and Kellie Orewiler had a match-high 21 digs.
Lemke and Chanelle Smith led all players on the night with 16 kills apiece, while Celia Eddy and Danielle Smith each added 10 kills for the Phoenix.
Elon took control of the match early as it ran out to an 8-0 lead before extending it out to 17-4. UNCG wasn't able to get any closer in the later parts of the set as the Phoenix won the set, 25-12.
The second was much closer as the teams traded the lead numerous times before being deadlocked at 20-all. The Spartans had set point at 24-21 before the Phoenix came back to tie the set at 24 on a service error.
After a Spartan attack error gave Elon set point, UNCG got a kill from Kelsey Sidney and a block from Sidney and Freeman to take at 26-25 lead. On the next play, Danielle Smith committed an attack error to give the Spartans the set, 27-25.
The third set was another tight one as there were 16 ties and nine lead changes. The teams were knotted at 22-all late in the set before a bad set by Elon gave UNCG a 23-22 lead and forced a Phoenix timeout. After the timeout, the Spartans got a kill from Newman and a block by Newman and Vicky Harley to win the set, 25-22.
The fourth set looked as if it would be another tight one as UNCG trailed just 12-10 midway through the set. Elon then took over with an 11-0 run en route to winning the set, 25-14, to force a fifth set.
The Spartans will return home on Saturday to host College of Charleston at 7 p.m. The match will also be Senior Day for Ariel Newman and Sarah Eldridge.
AGATE
Elon def. UNCG 25-12, 25-27, 22-25, 25-14, 15-13
UNCG (15-16 (7-8 SoCon)) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Karrian Chambers 14-0-2; Ariel Newman 10-0-1; Morgan Freeman 10-0-4; Kelsey Sidney 4-0-3; Chelsea Evans 3-0-2; Vicky Harley 3-0-6; Emily McMurtrey 3-0-0; Kellie Orewiler 1-1-0; Totals 48-1-10.0. (Assists) - Sarah Eldridge 23; Emily McMurtrey 20. (Dig leaders) - Kellie Orewiler 21; Ariel Newman 10; Karrian Chambers 9; Emily McMurtrey 8
ELON (18-13 (6-9 SoCon)) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Caroline Lemke 16-0-1; Chanelle Smith 16-2-0; Celia Eddy 10-0-3; Danielle Smith 10-0-0; Traci Stewart 7-0-3; Cali Estes 7-0-0; Kris Harris 2-0-1; Nickie Halbert 1-0-0; Megan McMahon 1-0-2; Ali Deatsch 0-3-0; Totals 70-5-5.0. (Assists) - Megan McMahon 49; Nickie Halbert 14. (Dig leaders) - Ali Deatsch 14; Chanelle Smith 13; Traci Stewart 10; Danielle Smith 9; Megan McMahon 9
Site: Elon, N.C. (Alumni Gym)
Date: Nov 11, 2011 Attend: 287 Time: 2:13
Referees: Bonnie O'Connor, Vaughn Hastings
- UNCG -
