WILMINGTON, NC – Senior Theresa Hart earned MVP honors as UNC Greensboro went onto win the UNCW Invitational. The Spartans defeated Winston-Salem State, 3-0, in their first game of the day. UNCG went on to beat host UNC Wilmington in the final match of the tournament, 3-0. Hart and freshmen Catherine Hanners and Lisa Fawell were named to the All-Tournament team.
Hanners led Spartans (4-0) with 12 kills and seven service aces against Winston-Salem State. The outside hitter from Richmond, VA also contributed six digs. Freshman Branagan Fuller followed closely to Hanners. The Temecula, CA product finished with 11 kills and five aces and had six digs as well. Fawell dished out 35 assists and added one kill and one ace.
The Spartans dominated throughout the entire match. UNCG led by as much as 13 points in game one and won the game 30-20. The Spartans finished game two on a 6-1 run and took the game 30-26. In game three, Hanners helped the Spartans go on an 8-0 run by serving four aces. The Spartans captured the final game 30-11.
In their final match against host UNC Wilmington, the Spartans were led by Hart, who finished with 18 kills, two blocks and five digs. Senior Hilary Overby and junior Lauren Keiser added nine kills, four aces and two blocks each. Fawell finished with 40 assists and Hanners had 20 digs.
Hart ended the tournament with 40 kills, 18 digs, 10 service aces and five blocks. Fawell handed out 143 assists in four games and Hanners added 17 service aces, 13 kills and 49 digs overall.
This marks the first time since September of 1998 that the Spartans have won in-season tournament, and it is the program's first 4-0 start since 1984 when the Spartans won their first 17 matches.
UNCG continues play when they travel to Buies Creek, NC to take on Campbell on Tuesday. Match time set for 7pm.
AGATE
UNC Greensboro def. Winston-Salem State 30-20,30-26,30-11
UNC Greensboro (3-0) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Catherine Hanners 12-7-1; Branagan Fuller 11-5-1; Liz Benzschawel 8-0-2; Hilary Overby 5-0-1; Kaitlyn Nortz 4-1-2; Lauren Keiser 3-0-0; Emily Lindborg 3-0-0; Lisa Fawell 1-1-0; Christin Heverly 0-2-0; Totals 47-16-4.0. (Assists) - Lisa Fawell 35. (Dig leaders) - Catherine Hanners 6; Branagan Fuller 6
Winston-Salem State (0-4) (Kills-aces-blocks) - SIMPSON,Ciera 7-1-0; BARNWELL,Annika 5-2-2; EL-AMIN,Seidah 5-1-1; SUTTON,Kendall 2-0-2; PUSHKINA,Valentina 1-3-0; Totals 20-7-3.0. (Assists) - PUSHKINA,Valentina 12. (Dig leaders) - SUTTON,Kendall 7; BARNWELL,Annika 3
UNC Greensboro def. UNC Wilmington 30-21,30-27,30-19
UNC Greensboro (4-0) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Theresa Hart 18-0-2; Hilary Overby 9-4-2; Lauren Keiser 9-4-2; Kaitlyn Nortz 8-0-5; Emily Lindborg 4-0-1; Branagan Fuller 2-0-1; Lisa Fawell 1-3-1; Totals 51-11-7.0. (Assists) - Lisa Fawell 40. (Dig leaders) - Catherine Hanners 20; Theresa Hart 5
UNC Wilmington (2-2) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Hanna, Elizabeth 7-2-3; Mitchell, Liz 5-0-2; McConnell, Paula 5-0-3; Nash, Megan 3-0-0; Strucko, Lindsey 2-0-1; Sandy, Brittany 1-1-0; Hoeck, Jill 1-0-1; Fulenwider, Christa 0-0-1; Huffman, Lindsay 0-1-0; Totals 24-4-7.0. (Assists) - Hoeck, Jill 19. (Dig leaders) - Petrisko, Dorinda 10; Morris, Ashlyn 6
- UNCG -