GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG volleyball team put its six-match losing skid to bed Saturday night, returning home after seven matches on the road to sweep Western Carolina (25-18, 25-12, 25-19) inside Fleming Gymnasium. The Spartans won their first league match of the season and sit at 11-8 overall and 1-3 in Southern Conference play while the Catamounts fall to 7-13 and 1-3.

The Blue and Gold improved to 4-0 at home in 2015 and have only dropped one set inside the friendly confines.

The UNCG offense was absolutely dominant tonight recording 49 kills on 119 swings with only 13 errors for a .303 hitting percentage. Conversely, the Spartans limited Western Carolina to .017 efficiency on just 20 kills. The Blue and Gold also held the upper hand in digs (68-52) while the teams ended up even in blocking with four each. The Catamounts hit below .100 in all three sets including a -.075 showing in the opening stanza.

Sophomore outside hitter Ashley Muench led the UNCG offense with 13 kills while freshman middle hitter Jasmine Jones and junior outside hitter Jessica Brezwyn chipped in with 11 and 10 respectively. Jones made just one error in 17 attempts for a .588 hitting percentage. Muench tallied her first double-double of the season adding 14 digs to her kill output. Additionally, freshman setter Allison Penner collected her fourth double-double of the campaign to the tune of 37 assists and 13 digs. Senior defensive specialist Katherine Santiago led all players with 18 digs.

Western Carolina's Jo-Leigh Vervelde entered the match with the national lead in triple-doubles at five but UNCG shut her down as she tallied just one kill and eight assists. Alyssa Zupan and Kaycey Cermin both led the Catamounts with five kills while Lucy Lambert checked in with a team-high 16 digs.

A fast start benefitted the Spartans as the match opened and Western Carolina was forced to call for a timeout after an attacking error by Devan Ingram made the score 9-4 in UNCG's favor. The Blue and Gold stretched the advantage all the way to 13-7 before WCU began to rally. Behind the serve of Zupan, the Catamounts cut their deficit to 14-13 and prompted a timeout from the Spartans' bench. UNCG recovered nicely, however, as Jones recorded four kills in the next eight rallies to help give the Blue and Gold a 20-15 advantage. Senior outside hitter Lauren Betlach would end the set with a kill to afford the Spartans the early match lead.

The squads played to a 4-4 deadlock as the second frame began but a 5-1 UNCG run capped by an Alexis Mourier kill gave the Spartans a 9-5 lead. After a WCU timeout, the Blue and Gold kept its foot on the gas pedal and extended its cushion to seven points at 14-7 following another Mourier score. A bad set by Penner allowed the Catamounts to slice the lead to 15-11 but UNCG blitzed its visitors the rest of the way, ending the stanza on a 10-1 run to grab a 2-0 advantage at the intermission.

A pair of consecutive aces by Muench saw the Spartans take control of the third set 6-2 but Western Carolina was able to pull within 10-8 later on in the proceedings. Muench continued to put her mark on the match and put down two kills as part of a 3-0 run that pushed UNCG ahead 13-8. Try as they might, the Catamounts could not catch the Blue and Gold the rest of the way as the Spartans ended up clinching the third set by six and completing the sweep.

UNCG will take the week to prepare for its next match scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 10 against Furman at home. The Spartans and Paladins will serve it up at 7 p.m. inside Fleming Gymnasium.