Spartans sweep Wofford 3-0 for third SoCon victory

GREENSBORO, NC – UNC Greensboro picked up its third Southern Conference victory of the season on Saturday afternoon as the Spartans defeated Wofford 3-0 at Fleming Gymnasium.  Set scores were 25-16, 25-17, 25-22.

A trio of Spartans hit over .300 in the match.  Redshirt sophomore Caley Redden hit .500, making eight kills off 12 total attacks with two errors.  Meanwhile, sophomore Kayren Finney hit .476 (12 kills, 21 total attacks, two errors) and senior Kaitlyn Nortz recorded a .375 hitting percentage (nine kills, 16 total attacks, three errors).  Finney also totaled five blocks.  Junior Branagan Fuller tallied a match-high 13 kills.  Sophomore Kimiko Naito and junior Lisa Fawell put up 19 and 18 assists, respectively.  Freshman Clara Tse led the Spartans with 12 digs and added four blocks.

Stacy Byrd led the Terriers with seven kills.  Joanna Suddath had 19 assists, while Brittany Thompson totaled 13 digs.

UNCG had a solid hitting performance in the first set.  The Spartans made 16 kills off 29 total attacks with just three errors en route to hitting .448.  The Spartans also led throughout the entire set.  However, it was not until late in the set until UNCG was able to establish a strong lead.  Holding a 16-13 advantage, a kill from Nortz started a four-point run that pushed the Spartans' lead to seven.  UNCG eventually took a nine-point advantage, using a three-point run to make it a 23-14 set.  During the run, Finney and Redden each recorded a kill and Naito served an ace.  The teams exchanged points until the Terriers served an error that proved to be the set-winning point the Spartans needed.

In the second set, UNCG and Wofford battled early for control of the set.  With the score tied 10-10, a Redden kill began a six-point run that allowed the Spartans to pull away from the Terriers.  UNCG eventually pushed its advantage to seven on several different occasions.  Wofford was able to trimmed UNCG's lead down to four, using three UNCG miscues to make it a 20-16 set.  After trading points, UNCG closed out the set with a four-point run.
 
The third set proved to be another battle as neither team was able to build more than a two-point lead through the first half of the set.  However, the Spartan were eventually able to get a three-point cushion midway through the set.  With the set tied 12-12, three-straight kills from Finney, Fuller and Redden allowed UNCG to go up 15-12.  Wofford eventually pulled to within one off a block by Liz Sheets and Stacy Byrd to make it 16-15 in favor of UNCG, but a kill by Fuller began a five-point UNCG run and gave the Spartans a six-point cushion.  However, UNCG had to fend off several late rallies by the Terriers.  Wofford answered UNCG's run by scoring three-straight points.  After the teams exchanged points, Wofford scored four of the next five points, including one off a kill from Catelyn Amenda and another off a Sarah Palmer service ace, to pull to within one and make it a 23-22 set.  UNCG ultimately recorded straight kills from Tse and Finney in order to win the set and the match.

UNCG returns to action on Wednesday for a mid-week match at Elon.  Match time is set for 7 p.m., at Alumni Gym.

AGATE

UNC Greensboro def. Wofford 25-16,25-17,25-22

Wofford (11-7, 1-2 SoCon) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Stacy Byrd 7-0-2; Shanna Hughes 6-0-0; Liz Sheets 3-0-2; Lindsey Richardson 2-0-0; Catelyn Amende 2-0-1; Joanna Suddath 1-1-2; Anna Gustafson 1-0-2; Sarah Palmer 0-1-0; Brittany Thompson 0-1-0; Totals 22-3-5.0. (Assists) - Joanna Suddath 19. (Dig leaders) - Brittany Thompson 13; Carolyn Rivers 6

UNCG (11-6, 3-1 SoCon) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Branagan Fuller 13-0-1; Kayren Finney 12-0-5; Kaitlyn Nortz 9-0-3; Caley Redden 8-0-1; Clara Tse 3-0-4; Kimiko Naito 2-1-0; Luciana Shafer 2-0-2; Lisa Fawell 1-0-0; Catherine Hanners 0-1-0; Totals 50-2-8.0. (Assists) – Kimiko Naito 19; Lisa Fawell 18. (Dig leaders) - Clara Tse 12; Catherine Hanners 11

- UNCG -