Box Score GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) volleyball team showcased plenty of tenacity, resilience, and heart during a tough 3-1 setback to Samford in a Southern Conference match inside of Fleming Gym Monday night.
The result wasn't what the Spartans had wanted, but there were plenty of positives the coaching staff can use as it continues the remainder of its season. UNCG took some steps forward in defeat. In displaying some bursts of brilliance during the match, UNCG finished with 24 blocking assists, a season best.
UNCG didn't go quietly as it made Samford earn its seventh straight decision. After dropping the first two sets by close margins of 25-22, 25-23, the Spartans roared from behind to capture the third set, 25-18 before falling 25-14 in the fourth set.
"I thought we came out with good energy and we weathered a couple of early runs against us in the first two sets," UNCG volleyball head coach
Corey Carlin said. "We talked about can we have good, focused energy for longer coming into tonight's match. The fact that we lost the first set when it was close and we had a pretty good lead; but kept up our energy and focus was pretty huge."
Offensively, the Spartans were paced by senior
Maria Esch, who finished with 13 kills, and sophomore
Brittany Wood, who added eight kills on 18 swings. Defensively, UNCG held Samford to a .189 hitting percentage behind the energetic triumvirate of
Mandy Garvens (18 digs),
Jenna Wiggs (14), and
Stephanie Meysembourg (10).
Sophomore Gabby McHugh was her usual solid self with 27 assists and seven digs. Sophomore
Grey Breen had five service aces.
"Individually, I thought
Brittany Wood stepped up her play tonight," Carlin said. "That was a personal challenge for her to stay assertive tonight and she did it. Our blocking presence was another key factor. We had a few goals that we talked about when we're playing back to back opponents from one night to the next. One of the things was net presence and we accomplished that. So, we have a lot to build on."
Sophomore
Hannah Knier assisted on seven blocks. Sophomores
Camille Anderson and Breen combined to assist on 11 blocks. Anderson had a block to end the memorable third set for the Spartans.
The third set was one to be proud of.
UNCG enjoyed a 20-16 edge in the first set and 18-12 advantage in the second set, but Samford rallied each time to win. A lesser team would have succumbed and stopped fighting when Samford opened an 11-7 lead in the third set.
The Spartans are built different.
Trailing 11-7 in the third set, UNCG scored 10 consecutive points, its longest scoring run of the season, against the reigning SoCon champions. Wood started the rally with a kill. The Spartans had the Bulldogs on their heels with a flurry of aces, smashing kills, devastating blocks, and perfect ball placement.
"I thought our team had lots of energy and intensity out of the gate," McHugh said. "Yesterday was a hard loss, losing in three. I think our intensity helped our defense and blocking. This game shows our team has a lot of grit.
"Even more, when we are faced with adversity, we're still willing to go that extra mile. I feel like in the third set, we pushed harder than we ever did in a long time. It's how we're going to be the rest of the season and we're not going to roll over."
UNCG returns to action Sunday when it visits Furman at 2 p.m.
