Box Score GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG Volleyball knocked off the Southern Conference-leading Furman Paladins, 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 27-25) on Wednesday evening inside Fleming Gymnasium in Greensboro. The Spartans improve to 8-9 overall and 3-2 in SoCon play. Furman falls to 7-9, and 3-1 in the SoCon.
This is the second-straight season that the Spartans swept the Paladins inside Fleming Gymnasium. Prior to the 2015 season, the Spartans had only swept Furman one other time. That occurred in the 2006 season as part of the Southern Conference Tournament in Boone, N.C.
Ashley Muench (Hurdle Mills, N.C./Orange) led the Spartan offense. The junior earned 14 kills, hitting at a .414 clip. Allison Penner (Aurora, Neb./Aurora) continued to facilitate the offense, recording 33 assists. The Spartan defense again played tough, as they were led by SoCon Defensive Player of the Month of September, Christina Gregory (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart Academy). Gregory earned a match-best 19 digs, chipped in an assist and a service ace. Jessica Brezwyn (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale South) earned 10 digs in the match, and added eight kills.
The first set was a back-and-forth-affair, with both teams being tied at 17 before the Spartans could go on a run. UNCG stretched their lead to 20-17 after three Furman attack errors. That was all the breathing room UNCG needed in the first set as the Spartans took the set on a Penner kill.
UNCG tipped the set in its favor far earlier in the second set, going up 4-1 to start. After a few back-and-forth rallies, UNCG used a 4-0 run to take a commanding 12-4 lead. The Spartans were aided by a Muench kill and block, and a service ace from Lauren Robeck (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) in the run. UNCG continued their big lead throughout the set, before a pair of Furman attack errors gave UNCG the second set.
The final set proved to be a hard-fought victory for the Spartans. After being tied at 17, Furman used a 3-0 run to take the lead. UNCG and Furman continued to go back-and-forth, with UNCG able to tie the match up at 23. After being tied at 24, and again at 25, UNCG earned back-to-back kills from Alexis Mourier (Elkhart, W.Va./George Washington) and Robeck to take the set and the match.
The Spartans return to action Saturday, Oct. 8th at 2:00 p.m. as they travel to Johnson City, Tenn. for a matchup with the ETSU Bucs.
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