GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) volleyball team secured a sweep over Western Carolina on Friday night (25-22, 25-14, 25-21) to begin The Southern Conference (SoCon) campaign inside Bodford Arena.
The last time UNCG won its SoCon opener was in the 2022 season in a straight-set victory over Mercer.
After leading today's match with 35 assists, senior setter
Izora Gragg reached the 2,000 career assists milestone. She is now the 10th player in UNCG program history to earn the feat.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1 – UNCG jumped ahead 3-0, but Western Carolina answered with a 7-2 run to take an 11-9 lead. The Spartans regained the advantage at 15-13, and both teams traded points from there. The Catamounts tied the score at 22, but an
Allie Sweet kill, a Western Carolina attack error and a
Hailey Clifton service ace gave UNCG the final three points and a 25-22 win.
Set 2 – After Western Carolina tied the score at four, the Spartans took control with a 12-1 stretch to build a 16-5 lead. The Catamounts cut the margin to eight at 18-10, but UNCG maintained its advantage and closed the set, 25-14, on a
Kendall Lanclos kill.
Set 3 – Western Carolina built an 11-7 lead, but UNCG rallied to tie the set at 13. The teams were level again at 14 before the Spartans scored three straight points to go ahead 17-14. UNCG led 20-17, then held off a Catamount push that tied the score at 21. The Spartans finished with four consecutive points, including kills from Sweet and
Connore' Siler-Nixon, to win the set 25-21 and complete the sweep.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Sweet recorded her 30th career double-double and seventh of the season after leading the match with 19 kills and adding 11 digs.
- Siler-Nixon and Lanclos rounded out the Spartans with double-digit kills after notching 13 and 11, respectively.
- Gragg paced the match with 35 assists and was one dig shy of a double-double with nine.
- Chloe Nussbaum led the Spartans with 12 digs.
- Siler-Nixon and Akila Hardie stood out at the net with two blocks apiece.
RECORDS
UNCG: 8-4, 1-0 SoCon
WCU: 4-10, 0-1 SoCon
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UP NEXT
The Spartans are back in Bodford Arena tomorrow to host the Catamounts again at 3:00 p.m. It will be Volleyball Club Night and postgame autographs will follow the match.
