CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Led by a career-high 13 kills from freshman outside hitter Ashley Muench (Hurdle Mills, N.C./Orange), the UNCG volleyball team picked up a 3-0 victory (25-20, 25-22, 25-22) over Western Carolina Friday evening inside the Ramsey Center in the Southern Conference opener for both squads. With the sweep, the Spartans recorded their fifth-straight victory in a SoCon lidlifter.

Muench came up big for the Blue and Gold as she not only registered 13 kills but also hit a sparkling .706 – making just one error in 17 attempts. Sophomore outside Jessica Brezwyn (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale South) and senior middle Kelsey Sidney (Chesterfield, Mo./Marquette HS) also chipped in with double-digit kills to the tune of 11 and 10 respectively. UNCG was buoyed additionally by the play of senior middle Vicky Harley (Columbia, S.C./Blythewood) who hit .467 with nine kills on 15 swings.

Sophomore setter Sara Hohman (Zionsville, Ind./Cathedral) turned in a solid all-around performance, notching her seventh double-double of the season via 43 assists and 15 digs. She also added four kills on six attempts. Defensively, junior libero Katherine Santiago led the way with 17 digs to go along with five assists.

As a team, the Spartans (8-5, 1-0 SoCon) finished with a .333 hitting mark thanks to 55 kills on 123 attempts with only 14 errors. Conversely, the Catamounts (7-8, 0-1 SoCon) tallied 43 kills and hit a respectable .254. UNCG also won the defensive battle with 66 kills to Western's 50 and a 5.0-3.0 advantage in the blocking column.

The Spartans took control of the first set right from the get go, racking up a 7-3 lead when Muench put down a kill. UNCG kept the pressure on, scoring six of the next points to extend its advantage to 13-6. The Catamounts called for timeout at that point, but a kill by Sidney made the score 18-10.

Western Carolina was forced into another timeout with the score at 22-14 after a kill by redshirt junior middle Julia Westerbur (College Station, Texas/A&M Consolidated) and UNCG reached set point at 24-16 thanks to a kill by Sidney. WCU attempted to rally, pulling within 24-20, but a kill by Muench closed the door and gave the Spartans the set by a 25-20 margin.

The Catamounts took the upper hand at the start of the second stanza, leading 7-4 when Caitlin Piechota notched a kill. However, UNCG answered with an 8-5 run capped off by a Western Carolina attacking error to knot the score at 12. The teams traded off the lead over the next several points before a kill by Brandi Anderson put WCU on top 21-19. A pair of Catamount attacking errors allowed the Spartans to tie the score at 21 but a kill by Addy George gave Western a 22-21 edge. Brezwyn responded with two kills of her own, affording UNCG a 23-22 lead and forcing a Catamount timeout. A big attacking error by George put the Blue and Gold at set point before a clutch block by Westerbur and Sidney sealed the second set for the visitors 25-22.

The third frame was a battle for much of the start with the sides battling to a 10-10 deadlock. A kill by Sidney gave UNCG a slight 12-10 lead and the Catamounts would call timeout with the Spartans in front 14-12 following a Harley kill. The Blue and Gold seized control of the set from there, scoring eight of the next 12 points to move in front 22-16. Western had one last answer, rallying all the way within 23-22 on a service ace by Jo-Leigh Vervelde. UNCG called timeout to settle things down and Harley came through at the end with two powerful kills to the middle of the defense to give the Spartans a 25-22 third set victory and the sweep.

UNCG will travel south to Macon, Ga. Saturday for a Southern Conference matchup with Mercer. The Bears came away with a 3-0 victory (25-23, 25-22, 25-18) at The Citadel in Charleston Friday evening. First serve at the University Center 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.