BOONE, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) volleyball team claimed its first win of the season on Friday (3-0) against USC Upstate (25-22, 25-16, 25-23) for the team's second match of the Black & Gold Classic. The Spartans dropped its first match of the day (3-0) against NC A&T (17-25, 27-29, 9-25).
HOW IT HAPPENED (NC A&T)
The Aggies' Liselotte Spoormakers launched a kill to get her team on the board first in game one. NC A&T held the lead for the remainder of the set. The Spartans sparked a 4-0 run cutting the deficit to five, 18-13, in the midst of set one that was all due to errors from the Aggies. However, NC A&T was able to come away with the set, 25-17 after back-to-back kills from Hannah Howell and Madison Sanabria.
The Aggies continued its momentum into the second set by starting it off with a 4-0 run. NC A&T continued to lead for the majority of the second set until the Spartans chipped away to come back into set two. With the Spartans down 11-18, the team notched a 10-3 run over the Aggies to tie the set up at 21. A kill from
Aylin Baran, followed by an error from NC A&T, gave the Spartans its first and only lead of the match at 23-22. The second set went back-and-forth, looking for a two-point decision. The set was tied five more times, before NC A&T secured the set with back-to-back kills from Hannah Howell and Chiara Napoli, 29-27.
The Aggies sparked an 8-1 run to start off the third and final set to keep the Spartans from leading in the remainder of the game. Back-to-back service aces from Ceci Carter finalized the third set for the Aggies, 25-9.
BY THE NUMBERS (NC A&T)
HOW IT HAPPENED (USC Upstate)
The first set was very close throughout with seven ties and four lead changes. However, the Spartans maintained control for the majority of game. With UNCG down by one (21-22), the squad notched a 4-0 run that was included by errors from Upstate and a kill from
Jocelyn Carter. This final run gave UNCG set one, 25-22 for the team to win set one of a match for the first time this season.
UNCG continued its momentum into the second set to by starting it off with a 3-0 run thanks to two service aces from Timmerman and a kill from Carter. The score toggled back and fourth until Baran began a 9-2 run for UNCG giving the Spartans a 17-11 advantage. With UNCG down 8-9, a kill from Baran started a 9-2 run to put UNCG up 17-11 in set two. UNCG controlled the lead for the rest of the set. A final kill from Baran secured set two for the Blue & Gold, 25-16.
Upstate found its stride in the third set by starting things off with a 4-1 run. The Spartanburg, S.C. squad continued to hold this lead early on. However, with UNCG down 4-8, Timmerman recorded a kill that sparked a 5-1 run to tie the game at nine. Set three continued to go back-and-forth between the two teams. With UNCG down 18-20, the team recorded a 4-0 run to take the lead back and maintain control for the rest of the set. A final kill from
Daija Jackson gave the Blue & Gold the third and final set, 25-23 to give the squad its first win on the 2023 campaign.
BY THE NUMBERS (USC Upstate)
- Baran led the match with 11 kills.
- Carter followed closely behind with nine kills.
- Mallory Meers notched a double-double for the first time as a Spartan and 11th time in her career with 28 assists and 14 digs.
- Wood followed closely behind with 10 digs.
- Baran and Sziksai earned a new match high of three service aces.
- Timmerman matched her match high of four service aces.
Records
UNCG: 1-7, 0-0, SoCon
North Carolina A&T: 2-5, 0-0, CAA
USC Upstate: 4-4, 0-0, Big South
Up Next
The Spartans will continue at the Black & Gold Classic on Saturday, September 9 by taking on App State at 2 p.m.
