For video of coach Patrick Nicholas' comments on the final day of the Spartan Spiketacular, click here.
GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG defeated Howard, 3-1 (25-23, 23-25, 25-11, 25-21), in its first match of the day and then took down Radford, 3-0 (25-20, 25-18, 25-23) in the nightcap on Saturday at the Spartan Spiketacular.
For their efforts over the weekend, Kellie Orewiler was named the Libero of the Tournament, while Ari Lysacek and Karrian Chambers each picked up All-Tournament Team honors.
The Spartans improved to 6-8 on the year with the two wins, while Howard fell to 1-13 and Radford dropped to 4-10.
Chambers paced the Spartan offense on Saturday as she combined for 26 kills in the two matches, including a double-double against Howard. Holland Hoefnagel also added 22 kills after posting a season-high 14 kills against Howard. Lysacek recorded 77 assists in the two wins and Orewiler had 38 digs.
In the first match, UNCG came out and took the first four points of the match to take the early lead. The Bison would continue to fight and eventually tied the set at 16, but UNCG answered with a 4-0 run to open up a 20-16 lead. Howard would once again rally to tie the set at 23, but a kill by Newman and a block by Morgan Freeman and Vicky Harley gave the Spartans the set, 25-23.
The Bison took control early in the second set as they went on to build a 20-13 lead. UNCG would mount a late rally and cut Howard's lead down to 23-22 on a kill by Freeman. The Spartans would cut it down to one again at 24-23, but the Bison got a kill from Gabrielle Martin to win the set, 25-23.
UNCG came out of intermission with renewed energy as it jumped out to a 13-4 lead. The Spartans would lead by as many as 15 in the set before winning the set, 25-11, to take a 2-1 lead.
The Spartans were able to close out the Bison in the fourth set to secure the victory. After leading just 20-19 late in the set, UNCG took five of the final seven points to win the set, 25-21, and the match, 3-1.
In the opening set against the Highlanders, UNCG trailed 18-14, but fought back to tie the set at 19 on a Radford attack error. The Spartans would continue to carry that momentum late in the set and won six of the final seven points to wint he set, 25-20.
The Spartans continued its hot play in the second set as they hit .485 for a team in the second stanza. UNCG ran out to a 17-10, which forced a timeout, but the Highlanders couldn't stop the Spartans as UNCG took the set, 25-18, and a 2-0 lead into the intermission.
In the final set, UNCG took the early 8-3 lead, but Radford continued to chip away at the Spartan lead and eventually tied the set at 19. Chambers responded with a pair of kills as UNCG was able to make it a sweep by taking the set, 25-23.
UNCG will travel to North Carolina A&T on Wednesday for a 6 p.m. in match in its final nonconference matchup before beginning Southern Conference play next weekend.
AGATE
UNCG def. Howard 25-23, 23-25, 25-11, 25-21
Howard (1-12) (Kills-aces-blocks) - ELEBUTE,Tosin 14-0-1; MARTIN,Gabrielle 9-0-0; CONWAY,Assata 7-1-4; JOHNSON,Taylor 6-1-2; LAGERLEF,Meagan 3-0-0; BUTLER,Kelley 3-0-2; SHULTIS,Stephanie 2-0-2; CAIN,Riana 1-0-0; Totals 45-2-6.0. (Assists) - SHULTIS,Stephanie 21; KING,Jasmine 20. (Dig leaders) - CAIN,Riana 14; ELEBUTE,Tosin 9; KING,Jasmine 9; SHULTIS,Stephanie 8
UNCG (5-8) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Holland Hoefnagel 14-2-1; Karrian Chambers 14-1-1; Ariel Newman 8-0-0; Morgan Freeman 6-1-2; Vicky Harley 4-0-3; Chelsea Evans 4-0-0; Kelsey Sidney 3-0-1; Ari Lysacek 2-0-0; Kellie Orewiler 1-4-0; Sarah Eldridge 0-1-0; Totals 56-9-4.0. (Assists) - Ari Lysacek 42. (Dig leaders) - Kellie Orewiler 21; Karrian Chambers 10
Site: Greensboro, N.C. (Fleming Gymnasium)
Date: Sep 17, 2011 Attend: 224 Time: 1:51
Referees: Wade Brence, Brian Webb
Spartan Spiketacular - Match 4
UNCG def. Radford 25-20, 25-18, 25-23
Radford (4-10) (Kills-aces-blocks) - FLEMING, Carly 15-0-2; PAHNO, Taylor 5-0-1; MIEDEMA, Jesse 5-0-1; WIECHECKI, Rachel 4-0-0; CARLIN, Emily 3-0-0; HAYES, Emily 3-0-1; DEININGER, Emma 2-0-0; CANTRELL, Savannah 1-0-0; FERTITTA, Rachel 1-0-1; BRUMMITT, Rachel 1-0-0; BECKHAM, Christine 0-1-0; MYERS, Leigh 0-1-0; Totals 40-2-3.0. (Assists) - BECKHAM, Christine 29. (Dig leaders) - BRUMMITT, Rachel 17; BECKHAM, Christine 6
UNCG (6-8) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Karrian Chambers 12-3-1; Ariel Newman 12-1-1; Holland Hoefnagel 8-0-1; Vicky Harley 6-0-4; Morgan Freeman 4-1-1; Ari Lysacek 3-0-3; Totals 45-5-7.0. (Assists) - Ari Lysacek 35. (Dig leaders) - Kellie Orewiler 17; Holland Hoefnagel 11; Ari Lysacek 9
Site: Greensboro, N.C. (Fleming Gymnasium)
Date: Sep 17, 2011 Attend: 311 Time: 1:18
Referees: Brian Webb, Ronnie Mutter
Spartan Spiketacular - Match 6
2011 Spartan Spiketacular All-Tournament Team
MVP: Altrese Hawkins, Memphis
Libero of the Tournament: Kellie Orewiler, UNCG
Marija Jovanovic, Memphis
Vesna Jelic, Memphis
Karrian Chambers, UNCG
Ari Lysacek, UNCG
Carly Fleming, Radford
Taylor Johnson, Howard
- UNCG -
