Box Score MACON, Ga. – UNCG Volleyball suffered a 3-2 (21-25, 25-18, 26-24, 18-25, 15-12) loss to the Mercer Bears inside Hawkins Arena on Mercer University's campus on Friday night. The Spartans fall to 6-9 on the season, and 1-2 in the Southern Conference. Mercer improves to 10-5 overall, and 2-1 in the SoCon.
The Spartan offense had a trio of contributors who earned double-digit kills. Junior Ashley Muench (Hurdle Mills, N.C./Orange) earned 19, hitting at a .432 average. Jasmine Jones (Stafford, Va./Brook Point) earned 13 kills, hitting at a .458 average. Alexis Mourier (Elkhart, W.Va./George Washington) knocked down 11 kills on 24 attacks. The Spartans hit at a .314 team average, the best team average in a SoCon match since Oct. 24, 2014 when UNCG hit at a .388 clip in a three-set victory over Chattanooga. Allison Penner (Aurora, Neb./Aurora) facilitated the offense, earning 54 assists and 11 digs on the night.
UNCG earned 70 digs in the contest. Christina Gregory (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart Academy) earned a match-best 23 digs, with five assists. Anna Romaniszyn (Port Orange, Fla./Spruce Creek) earned 10 digs in the contest. The Spartan defense was tough at the net, earning 10.0 blocks. Lauren Robeck (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) led the squad with six blocks, followed by Jones' four.
The first set was played fairly evenly. Mercer led by as many as three at 14-11, before UNCG was able to gain a four-point advantage at 22-18. Down the stretch, Mercer scored three-straight to bring the set back to within a single point at 22-21. UNCG closed the set out, scoring a trio of points before Mercer could counter. Muench earned a pair of kills, along with a kill from Jones helping the Spartans close the set.
Mercer raced out to an early 9-2 advantage to start the second set. The Bears got the early lead on two service aces, three kills and a trio of Spartan errors. The Spartans were able to regain their composure and climb back in it to tie the set up at 13 each. The Bears used a 7-1 run to gain a 20-14 advantage, and limited the Spartans to just three kills down the stretch to even the match up at one set each.
The Bears got off to a similar start in the third set, going on an 8-1 run. UNCG answered back, going on a 9-1 run of their own to knot the match up at 12-12. UNCG used a 4-1 run, aided by a pair of kills from Muench, before a block assist from Jones and Mourier put the Spartans up 16-14. The Navy and Gold continued to lead by as few as one, and as many as three points throughout the rest of the match before Mercer used a 5-1 run to tie the match at 23. The Bears and Spartans were again tied at 24 before back-to-back kills from Morgan Macgilvary finished the set.
UNCG switched the momentum to start the fourth set, taking a 9-2 lead. The Spartans led by as many as 11 before Mercer was able to make an 8-1 run to come within four at 19-15. UNCG closed the set out, scoring four points on the next six rallies to take the set. Kills form Grace Howell (Rockwall, Texas/Rockwall-Heath) and Muench helped put the set away.
In the final set, UNCG and Mercer were tied at eight before the Bears used a 3-0 to gain some breathing room. The Spartans and Bears exchanged points down the stretch as UNCG was unable to get closer than two points before Macgilvary's 19th kill of the match gave the Bears the set and the match.
The Navy and Gold return to action tomorrow as it travels to Charleston, S.C. to take on The Citadel at 5:00 p.m. inside McAlister Field House.
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