ELON, N.C. - The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) volleyball team took on the North Carolina Central University Eagles (NCCU) and Elon University on day two of the Volley for Unity Tournament.
 
After three high-scoring sets, the Spartans walked away with the win against the Eagles, taking set scores of 25-19, 25-23, and 26-24.
 
In another in-state battle against tournament host Elon, UNCG fell 3-1 with set scores of 20-25, 25-19, 22-25, and 19-25.

Junior Taylor Robertson and freshman Ella Voegele were named to the All-Tournament Team. 
 
Elon and N.C. A&T have partnered to bring awareness to diversity and equity within their local communities. This weekend's Volley for Unity tournament is to bring awareness and support for the Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs of Alamance County. The Boys & Girls Clubs mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us the most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens.
 
Match 1: UNCG 3 – NCCU 0
By the Numbers:

• Taylor Robertson led the match with 15 kills.
• Ella Voegele had a match-high 16 digs with an impressive defensive showing.
• Avery Sziksai was second on the team with 10 digs.
• Daija Jackson and Gabriela McHugh led the game with three blocks a piece.
• McHugh also had 36 assists.

How it Happened:

• UNCG took the first set 25-19. It was a tight frame, which saw NCCU come back to tie the set up a handful of times. Ultimately, the Spartans pulled through with some great defense and strong offensive showings.
• The second set had the whole stadium on the edge of their seat as the Spartans and Eagles exchanged point for point. The Spartan's were able to pull out the lead and took the second set 25-23.
• NCCU came out swinging in the third set, running the score up on the UNCG, 11-2. The Spartans were able to answer, taking the lead back late in the frame. The set stayed tight though, leading to a final score of 26-24, with the Spartans taking the win. 

Records:

• UNCG: 6-3
• NCCU: 0-6

Match 2: Elon 3 – UNCG 1
By the Numbers:

• Robertson led the game in kills with an impressive career-best 19. She also had 12 digs to make it her fourth-career double-double.
• Gabriela McHugh totaled 38 assists for a match high and added four blocks to her stat line.
• Elayne Grisbee and Daija Jackson each had five blocks.
• Voegele paced the Spartans with 23 digs, while Hallie Cook had 11 of her own.
• Mya Wood saw her sixth match with double-digit kills, totaling 10.

How it Happened:

• The first set saw a good deal of back-and-forth play between the two teams, as they flexed their defensive capabilities. Elon was able to take the lead for the last time in the set with UNCG not making it easy for them, 15-14. The Phoenix ran with the lead and won 25-20.
• UNCG entered the second set swinging and quickly ran the score up on Elon with a 10- point lead, 15-5. The Phoenix did not go quietly though and closed that lead to just a few points. UNCG was able to take the win and walked away with a score of 25-19, tying the match at one set a piece.
• The third set saw five tied scores including one at 21, before Elon went on a 4-1 run for a 25-22 win.
• Elon saw its highest hitting percentage of the match averaging .231 in the fourth set, and held UNCG to a .139 hitting clip. The Phoenix went on to win the set 25-19.

Records:

• UNCG: 6-4
• Elon: 2-7

Quote from Head Coach Corey Carlin
"I'm very proud of our players because we saw our team take another step forward this weekend, especially with being on the road for the first time. We had longer stretches of very good play and fewer stretches of mediocre play. We're improving our game. Our defense got stronger each match. We kept our composure and made the opponents work in all three matches. Considering we have seven new players in our line-up compared to a year ago, I really like where we are right now. We're going to continue to build on this momentum in preparation for conference play in two weeks."

Up Next
The Spartans will travel to Charleston, South Carolina to compete in the Charleston Southern Tournament. UNCG will face Montana on Friday, September 16 at 3:00 p.m. and then play the College of Charleston and Charleston Southern on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., respectively.