JOHNSON CITY, TENN. - Mya Wood posted a double-double with 12 kills and 12 digs as the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) volleyball team dropped a Saturday afternoon Southern Conference (SoCon) match to East Tennessee State (ETSU), 3-1 (25-22, 20-25, 15-25, 25-27).
 
How it Happened
East Tennessee State opened the first set with a 7-3 lead, but the Spartans scored five of the next six points to even the score, 8-8. The Buccaneers posted five of the next six points in response to claim a four-point lead, 13-9. The Spartans erased the lead by scoring six of the next seven points to claim a one-point lead thanks to two kills from Taylor Robertson and a pair of blocks from Hannah Knier and Gabriela McHugh. ETSU tied the set on the next point, but Knier guided the Spartans to three of the next four points with a kill and a service ace to force an ETSU timeout. The Buccaneers responded out of the timeout with a 4-1 rally to reclaim the lead, 20-19. ETSU increased their lead to two out of the UNCG timeout, but the Spartans mounted a four-point rally to force ETSU's final timeout and reclaim the lead, 23-21. After an ETSU point, Robertson forced set point with a kill and then posted a solo block to claim the set for the Spartans.
 
ETSU climbed to a 6-2 lead early in the second set. UNCG closed the gap with a three-point rally, but the Buccaneers countered with a three-point rally of their own. ETSU extended the lead back to four, 12-8, but the Spartans cut the lead in half. ETSU then produced a four-point rally in response to force a UNCG timeout. Both sides traded points and then two-point rallies, but then ETSU responded with another two-point rally to claim a seven-point lead, 21-14. UNCG followed with three-straight points that forced an ETSU timeout. Both sides alternated the next four points when a Daija Jackson kill pulled the Spartans to within three, 23-20. The Buccaneers claimed the final two points to win the set and even the match.
 
ETSU jumped to an 8-2 lead to start the third set, but the Spartans chipped away at the lead, cutting it to five points, 12-7. UNCG held the deficit at six, 15-9, but ETSU extended the lead to seven, 20-13, late in the set. After the Spartans cut the lead back to six on the next point, ETSU posted five of the next six points to earn the third set win.
 
Both sides played a back-and-forth fourth set all the way to the media timeout with nine ties and five lead changes. UNCG held a one-point advantage at the media timeout, 15-14. The Spartans produced a three-point rally sparked by a solo block from Elayne Grisbee to claim the lead, 18-16. ETSU scored four of the next six points to even the set, 20-20. UNCG took the lead, 22-20, off a pair of ETSU attack errors which forced a Buccaneers timeout. ETSU evened the score again, 22-22, as both teams began to trade points again. ETSU forced match point, 24-23, but the Spartans exited match point and traded the next two points with the Spartans. The Buccaneers secured the final two points to win the set, 27-25, and the match.
 
By the Numbers

•  Wood hit .267 for the match and added a service ace and a solo block.
• Wood tallied her third-career double-double.
• Robertson finished with ten kills, hitting .200, with eleven digs, for her eighth double-double of her career.
• Hannah Knier tallied four total blocks.
• Ella Voegele led the back row with 20 digs.
• The Spartans won the battle at the net, holding a 10-8 advantage in blocks.
• UNCG also held a 6-4 advantage in service aces.

Records
UNCG: 10-17, 4-10 SoCon
ETSU: 19-7, 13-1 SoCon
 
Up Next
The Spartans travel to their final regular season road contest of the season, facing Western Carolina for a 6 p.m. SoCon match.