CHARLESTON, S.C. – UNCG got 11 kills from both Ariel Newman and Holland Hoefnagel to help sweep The Citadel, 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-22), to win its fifth straight match on Sunday afternoon in McAlister Fieldhouse.
The Spartans improved their overall record to 9-8 and a perfect 2-0 in the Southern Conference. The Bulldogs fell to 6-7 this year and 0-2 in the league.
The 11 kills by Newman and Hoefnagel were both match highs and Hoenfnagel led UNCG with an incredible .588 hitting percentage after recording just one error. Ari Lysacek also added a match-high 28 assists, while Kellie Orewiler recorded 17 digs and four aces.
The Bulldogs were led by Kaona Mercer, who had a team-high 10 kills and Kathryn Johnston and Emily Dalton each had nine digs apiece.
In the opening set, UNCG used an early 6-0 run, thanks in part to two Orewiler aces, to open up a 9-5 lead. The Bulldogs would fight back to cut the Spartan lead down to 17-15, but the Spartans responded with a 6-1 run en route to winning the set, 25-20.
The Citadel grabbed the early lead in the second set and lead 11-6 before UNCG went on an 8-3 run to tie the set at 14. The Spartans fell behind again at 18-15, but the Spartans won 10 of the final 12 points to win the set 25-20 and take a 2-0 lead into intermission.
Following the break, UNCG led only 10-8 in the early going before going on an 8-1 run to take an 18-9 lead. The Spartans had match point at 24-17, but the Bulldogs won five points in a row before UNCG could close out the match with a block from Morgan Freeman and Lysacek.
The Spartans will look to stay perfect in the SoCon when they face Western Carolina on Saturday at 5 p.m. in Fleming Gymnasium.
AGATE
UNCG def. The Citadel 25-20, 25-20, 25-22
UNCG (9-8, 1-0) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Ariel Newman 11-1-0; Holland Hoefnagel 11-0-0; Ari Lysacek 6-0-3; Karrian Chambers 5-0-2; Morgan Freeman 3-2-4; Kelsey Sidney 2-0-0; Chelsea Evans 2-1-1; Vicky Harley 2-0-3; Kellie Orewiler 0-4-0; Totals 42-8-7.0. (Assists) - Ari Lysacek 28. (Dig leaders) - Kellie Orewiler 17; Holland Hoefnagel 4
The Citadel (6-7, 0-2) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Kaona Mercer 10-0-2; Rachael Farrell 7-0-1; Amanda Rudnik 4-0-1; Kathryn Johnston 4-0-0; Alexa Dahlstrom 4-1-1; Cassie Uribe 3-0-0; Lauren Hurt 1-0-3; Mallory Moore 1-0-0; Emily Dalton 0-1-0; Totals 34-2-5.0. (Assists) - Alexa Dahlstrom 17. (Dig leaders) - Emily Dalton 9; Kathryn Johnston 9
Site: Charleston, SC (McAlister Fieldhouse)
Date: Sep 25, 2011 Attend: 134 Time:
Referees: DJ Wiles, Alan Seegal
- UNCG -
