Spartans swept by Pepperdine, 3-0

FULLERTON, CA – UNC Greensboro fell 3-0 to Pepperdine in the opening match of the Radisson Suites Buena Park Volleyball Classic at Titan Gym on Friday, Aug. 29.  Set scores were 15-25, 21-25, 15-25.

In the first set, the Spartans had to contend with several early runs by Pepperdine.  After the Waves took an 11-6 advantage off a Kiah Fiers kill, UNCG started to cut the deficit.  A bad set and back-to-back attacking errors by the Waves allowed the Spartans to make it a two-point set.  However, Pepperdine used several runs to pull away and win the first set.

Both UNCG and Pepperdine battled for control early in the second set as neither team held a lead larger than three.  Although the Waves used a four-point run to take a 6-3 lead, the Spartans clawed back and took a 9-7 advantage off a kill by junior Branagan Fuller.  The two teams traded points and tied the set score three times before Pepperdine scored four-straight points in order to take a 16-12 advantage.  UNCG started to chip away at Pepperdine's lead and eventually pulled to within one off a service ace by junior Lisa Fawell, making it 20-19 in favor of the Waves.  However, after a Pepperdine timeout, the Waves scored three points and took a 23-19 lead.  UNCG tried to comeback again and pulled to within two as redshirt sophomore Caley Redden blocked Lilla Frederick, but Pepperdine got the final two points it needed to win the second set.

UNCG fell behind early in the third set.  The Spartans trailed by as many as six on two occasions before a Kaitlyn Nortz kill and a Pepperdine attack error allowed UNCG to make it 10-6 in favor of the Waves.  However, Pepperdine went on a six-point run to distance itself en route to taking the third set and the match.

Sophomore Kayren Finney totaled a match-high nine kills, while classmate Kimiko Naito tallied 11 assists.  Fawell had a team-high six digs and Redden had four total blocks, including one block solo and three block assists.

Lilla Frederick, Kim Hill and Rachel Lumsden each had a team-high eight kills for Pepperdine.  Fiers put up 19 assists and Stevi Robinson totaled 14 digs.

UNCG returns to action at the Radisson Suites Buena Park Volleyball Classic on Saturday, Aug. 30 with a 4 p.m. ET match against host Cal State Fullerton and a 7:30 p.m. ET match versus Delaware.  Free audio and video of the UNCG-CSU Fullerton match will be available online at www.fullertontitans.com.

AGATE

Pepperdine def. UNC Greensboro 25-15, 25-21, 24-15

UNCG (0-1 Tournament) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Kayren Finney 9-0-3; Branagan Fuller 4-0-0; Billi Baker 3-0-0; Kaitlyn Nortz 3-0-3; Caley
Redden 1-0-4; Catherine Hanners 1-2-0; Kimiko Naito 1-0-0; Lisa Fawell 1-1-0; Kayleigh Knerr 0-1-0; Alissa Beaudway 0-0-1; Totals 23-4-7.0. (Assists) - Kimiko Naito 11. (Dig leaders) - Lisa Fawell 6; Caley Redden 5
Pepperdine (1-0 Tournament) (Kills-aces-blocks) - HILL, Kim 8-0-1; FREDERICK, Lilla 8-2-1; LUMSDEN, Rachel 8-2-1; RUBENSTEIN, Julie 7-3-0; CHAMBERLAIN, Cassi 5-0-1; FIERS, Kiah 2-0-0; LAWSON, Caitlin 1-0-0; FRIEDMAN, Krista 0-1-0; ROBINSON, Stevi 0-2-0; Totals 39-10-2.0. (Assists) - FIERS, Kiah 19. (Dig leaders) - ROBINSON, Stevi 14; RUBENSTEIN, Julie 7

- UNCG -