CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The UNCG volleyball team rolled to its fifth-straight victory Sunday afternoon downing Western Carolina 3-1 (25-21, 25-17, 21-25, 25-14) inside the Ramsey Center. The Spartans completed the season series sweep of the Catamounts and are now 3-1 against WCU under head coach Corey Carlin.

The Blue and Gold ended the first half of its Southern Conference schedule at 5-3 and is currently tied for third place in the conference standings with ETSU.

Getting off to a quick start has been paramount for UNCG this season as in all 15 wins the Spartans have won the first set and dropped the opening frame in all eight losses. Under Carlin, the Blue and Gold is an astounding 30-1 when capturing the opening set.

UNCG (15-8, 5-3 SoCon) hit .215 in the match and limited Western Carolina to .116 efficiency. The Spartans notched 59 kills and hit over .200 in three of the four sets while the Catamounts tallied 41 kills and hit under .200 in three of the stanzas. Defensively, UNCG was the better side racking up 74 digs to Western Carolina's 63. The teams were about even in the blocking category combining for 15 apiece as the Catamounts recorded eight of them.

Senior middle hitter Julia Westerbur put down 15 kills and made just one error in 23 attempts to hit .609 while sophomore outside hitter Ashley Muench led all players with 16 kills and picked up 11 digs for a double-double. Junior outside Jessica Brezwyn also reached double figures offensively with 11 kills. Defensively, senior libero Katherine Santiago collected a match-best 21 digs and added four assists. Freshman setter Allison Penner set a great match and played just as well defensively as she garnered 49 assists and 15 digs for a double-double.

Devan Ingram and Alyssa Zupan led Western Carolina with nine kills apiece while Alyssa Mulheron paced the back row with 16 digs.

A big block by junior outside Alexis Mourier and freshman middle Jasmine Jones afforded UNCG a quick 6-3 lead in the first set. The Catamounts rallied to knot the score at six follow a trio of Spartan errors and a great battle for the upper hand ensued. With the teams deadlocked at 15, the Blue and Gold ripped off five-straight points to seize control of the set. A Penner kill brought the Spartans to set point at 24-20 before a kill by Muench gave UNCG the four-point win.

The Blue and Gold came out the aggressor in the second set and rang up a quick 7-2 advantage. UNCG did not relent and extended the lead all the way to 14-7 following a kill from Westerbur. It was all Spartans from there as they rolled to the 25-17 margin of victory and took a 2-0 lead into the intermission.

Western Carolina came out of the locker room desperate to stay in the match and ended up taking an early 7-4 lead. UNCG fought back though and fought the home team all the way to a tie at 16 apiece. A Spartan attacking error afforded WCU a 19-17 cushion it would not relinquish as the Catamounts closed it out by four to extend the contest.

Whatever momentum Western Carolina built in the third set disappeared altogether in the fourth stanza. UNCG rushed out to a 7-1 lead and quickly put the Catamounts in the rearview mirror. WCU rallied within 9-7 but the Spartans put on a volleyball clinic and scored 11 of the next 13 points to put Western to bed. UNCG won the set by 11 points to clinch the match.

The Spartans return to action next weekend at home. UNCG hosts Chattanooga Friday at 6 p.m. before welcoming Samford to Greensboro Saturday for a 5 p.m. first serve.