BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) volleyball team took a 3-1 loss at Samford (25-22, 19-25, 17-25, 14-25) on Friday night to open up The 2023 Southern Conference (SoCon) campaign.

HOW IT HAPPENED
With the Spartans down by one early on in set one (3-4), Mallory Meers set a kill for Madeline Timmerman that would begin a 5-0 run for UNCG (8-4). UNCG maintained the lead for the remainder of the first set. Back-to-back kills from Jocelyn Carter, both assisted by Mya Wood, clinched set one for the Spartans, 25-22.   
 
Set two started off just like the first with the Bulldogs and Spartans tying on several occasions. However, with UNCG up 8-6 in the second set, a kill from the Bulldogs' Sophia Plasman started a 10-1 run for Samford (16-9). The Bulldogs maintained the lead for the rest of the second set. A 3-0 run that was ended by a block assist from Plasman and Greer Golden gave Samford set two, 25-19.
 
Samford's Amelia Johnston put the Bulldogs up 1-0 with a service ace in set three for the Bulldogs to hold the advantage over the Spartans for the entire third set. Samford claimed the third set, 25-17.
 
The Bulldogs continued its momentum into the fourth set by starting things off with a 4-1 run.  Samford earned the fourth and final set, 25-14.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Carter led the Spartans on the day with 12 kills and posted a .375 hitting percentage.  
• Aylin Baran followed closely behind with nine kills.
• Meers and Izora Gragg contributed as the setters with 28 assists collectively.
• Wood stood out as the libero for UNCG with 16 digs. She leads UNCG with 138 on the season.
• Daija Jackson led the squad with three total blocks to put her at 20.0 blocks on the season.

Records
UNCG: 1-11, 0-1, SoCon
Samford: 6-7, 1-0, SoCon

Up Next
UNCG will continue SoCon action on the road at Mercer on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 6 p.m.