Box Score SPARTANBURG, S.C. – UNCG Volleyball opened Southern Conference play with a 3-0 victory (25-19, 25-17, 25-21) over the Wofford Terriers inside Benjamin Johnson Arena on Friday night in Spartanburg, S.C. UNCG improves to 6-7 on the season, and opens Southern Conference play at 1-0. Wofford falls to 7-8, and 0-1 in SoCon action. The Spartans now improve to 26-9 all-time against the Terriers.
The Spartan offense was led by the pair of Ashley Muench (Hurdle Mills, N.C./Orange) and Alexis Mourier (Elkhart, W.Va./George Washington). The pair earned 11 kills each, with Muench hitting at a .450 average, and Mourier at .429. Jasmine Jones (Stafford, Va./Brook Point) earned nine kills while only making one error and added a trio of block assists throughout the match. Allison Penner (Aurora, Neb./Aurora) led the team with 39 assists, and was a perfect 2-for-2 on attacks. Christina Gregory (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart Academy) earned a team-best 12 digs, while Jessica Brezwyn (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale South) earned 11 digs and four kills.
The Spartans were able to take the first set, aided by four kills from each, Mourier and Muench. UNCG hit at a .407 average in the set. A 4-0 run put UNCG ahead 12-6 early in the set. Muench had a pair of kills in the run as the Navy and Gold took advantage of a couple Wofford errors. UNCG maintained their five-point lead throughout the set, before finishing on kills from Jones and Brezwyn to take the first set.
The second set was more balanced, as each team earned 11 points before the Spartans went on a 6-1 run to separate themselves. Brezwyn tacked on two kills, and a kill from Anna Romaniszyn (Port Orange, Fla./Spruce Creek) contributed to the run. The Navy and Gold finished the set on a 5-1 run. Kills from Jones and Muench, along with a service ace from Penner and block assists from Mourier and Jones helped secure the second set.
The Terriers gained an early advantage in the third set, taking a 10-6 lead on a 4-1 run. Wofford led by as many as four and as few as one over the next several rallies before UNCG knotted it up at 19. The Spartans finished the set on a 6-2 run to earn the sweep. Kills from Mourier and Jones contributed to the run before Lauren Robeck's fourth kill of the evening put the match away.
The Spartans return to action on Saturday, Sept. 24 at 2:00 p.m. as they head to Greenville, S.C. to take on the Furman Paladins inside Alley Gymnasium.
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