GREENSBORO, N.C. – After winning a close first set Tuesday evening, the UNCG volleyball team eventually pulled away from Elon to post a 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-19) victory over its former Southern Conference rival inside Fleming Gymnasium. The win puts a lid on the Spartans' non-conference record at 8-5.

The Spartans improved to 10-7 with the victory, also improving to 4-0 at home, while Elon drops to 5-15 with its fifth-straight setback. UNCG has not dropped a set in four home matches this season.

The Blue and Gold hit just .159 in the first frame but rebounded to fire at .345 and .471 clips in the final two sets to end up at .308 (46k/13e/107ta). Conversely, a .000 performance in the middle stanza left the Phoenix at .139 (31k/16e/108ta) for the match. The Spartans also accrued more aces (6-3) and digs (57-44) while Elon edged the home team in the blocking column (7.0-6.0). The Phoenix came into the match averaging well over two blocks per set.

Sophomore outside hitter Jessica Brezwyn turned in her fifth double-double of the season, tallying 10 kills and 14 digs. Senior middle hitter Kelsey Sidney also reached double figures in kills at 10. Defensively, junior libero Katherine Santiago racked up 16 digs.

Also notching a double-double, her ninth of the campaign, was sophomore setter Sara Hohman who accounted for 35 assists and 10 digs. She added four kills on seven attempts with no errors to hit .571.

The evening began on the right note for UNCG as Sidney and redshirt junior middle hitter Julia Westerbur teamed up for a block on the first rally of the contest. The Spartans fell behind 4-1 but rallied to tie it at four on a service ace by Brezwyn. The Blue and Gold called for timeout trailing 6-4, but UNCG fell further behind as a service error by Hohman extended the Phoenix lead to 14-9.

Elon led by as much as 15-10 before the Spartans started to make a comeback. A kill from Brezwyn jumpstarted a 4-0 run that pulled UNCG within 15-14. It was a fight until the end as the teams tied each other at 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 points before kills by senior middle hitter Vicky Harley and freshman outside hitter Ashley Muench sealed the set for the Blue and Gold 25-23.

UNCG had no such trouble in the second stanza, ringing up leads of 7-2 and 12-3 and forcing Elon to burn both of its timeouts. An attacking error by Sydney Busa made the score 21-6 in favor of the Spartans before the Blue and Gold closed it out 25-13 to head into intermission with a 2-0 advantage.

The third set saw the sides struggle to seize control all the way to the middle of the frame. With the score knotted at 16, a kill by Harley and another attacking error from Busa pushed UNCG ahead 18-16 and prompted a timeout by the Phoenix. The Spartans would then score three of the next four points to put the set and match away. Elon called its last timeout trailing 21-17 but the damage was already done. A kill by Sidney clinched the sweep for the Blue and Gold by a 25-19 margin.

UNCG continues its five-match homestand and resumes SoCon play this weekend, welcoming Samford to Fleming Gymnasium. First serve is slated for 7 p.m.

Follow the UNCG volleyball team all season by logging on to www.uncgspartans.com and following the Spartans' official Twitter accounts @UNCGVB and @uncgsports.