UNCG heads to the mountains for a pair of SoCon tilts
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNCG (15-4, 3-1 SoCon) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 | ||
| ASU (12-5, 3-1 SoCon) | 22 | 23 | 22 | 0 |
| UNCG | ASU |
|---|---|
|
K:
2 Players (#10, #6 - 10)
B: Kayren Finney - 5 D: Caley Redden - 12 SA: Ariel Newman - 4 |
K:
Maggie Seeds - 12
B: 2 Players (#15, #3 - 3) D: Courtney Rhein - 10 SA: 2 Players (#6, #3 - 1) |
| TEAM STATISTICS | UNCG | ASU |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | .258 | .224 |
| Blocks | 7.0 | 5.0 |
| Digs | 49 | 44 |
| Aces | 9 | 2 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNCG (14-4, 2-1) | 27 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 11 | 2 |
| Western Carolina (6-12, 1-2) | 29 | 25 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 3 |
| UNCG | Western Carolina |
|---|---|
|
K:
2 Players (#6, #3 - 14)
B: Kayren Finney - 6 D: Ariel Newman - 20 SA: Ari Lysacek - 2 |
K:
Amanda Chaparro - 16
B: Rebecca Stoltz - 6 D: Morgan Cochran - 25 SA: Carrie Minogue - 2 |
| TEAM STATISTICS | UNCG | Western Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | .179 | .161 |
| Blocks | 10.0 | 7.0 |
| Digs | 79 | 79 |
| Aces | 2 | 6 |
UNCG (14-3, 2-0 SoCon) at Western Carolina (4-13, 0-2 SoCon), Appalachian State (11-4, 2-0 SoCon), Oct. 2 & 3, 3 p.m. & 5 p.m.
Livestats: UNCGSpartans.com
Storylines:
- After a perfect 2-0 mark to open Southern Conference play last weekend, UNCG will hit the road up the mountain this weekend as the Spartans play at Western Carolina on Saturday before traveling to Appalachian State on Sunday. The Spartans and Catamounts will meet at 3 p.m. on Saturday and UNCG and Appalachian State will play at 5 p.m. Sunday.
- Last weekend, the Spartans kicked off SoCon action as they hosted Samford and Chattanooga for a pair of matches. In the SoCon opener for both teams, UNCG swept two-time defending North Division Samford, 3-0, on Friday night. On Saturday, the Spartans returned to the court and made it a weekend sweep by defeating Chattanooga, 3-0.
- The Spartans now sit atop the Southern Conference North Division standings with a 2-0 record in league play and a 14-3 overall record. After the first weekend of action, Appalachian State and Elon are also 2-0 in the North Division, while College of Charleston and Georgia Southern have perfect 2-0 marks in the South Division.
- The Spartans are 11-16 all-time against Western Carolina and 18-19 against Appalachian State in the series. Last season, the Spartans defeated the Catamounts, 3-1 at home before defeating them by the same score on the road in the season finale for both teams. UNCG swept the Mountaineers, 3-0, in the SoCon home opener for the Spartans last year, but fell to Appalachian State in the rematch on the road, 3-2.
- This season, the Spartans have begun the year with a 14-3 record, which is the best start by a UNCG team since 1995 when the team started the year 24-3. In those 14 wins, the Spartans have swept their opponents by a 3-0 score eight times. Five of the other six wins have come in four-set victories.
- At the Spartan Spiketacular two weeks ago, junior Ariel Newman was tabbed as the Tournament MVP. Sophomore Olivia Humphries and senior Caley Redden were also named to the All-Tournament team. Freshman Kellie Orewiler was selected as the Libero of the Tournament by the head coaches.
- The team title at the Spartan Spiketacular was the second tournament that UNCG has won this season after winning the Spartan Classic earlier this season. It marked the first time since 1995 that UNCG has won two tournaments in one season. That year, the Spartans won the UNCG Fall Tournament and the College of Charleston Invite.
- Senior Kayren Finney is off to a great start this season as she currently leads the Southern Conference in blocks. She currently has 61 blocks this season for a 1.42 blocks per set average. Her 1.42 blocks/set average also ranks her 13th nationally this week. Ari Lysacek also shows up as she is third in the league in service aces per set. She has 22 aces for a 0.39 aces/set average. Also, Caley Redden is ninth in the SoCon in digs with 3.28 digs/set and Kellie Orewiler is 10th with 3.20 digs/set. Olivia Humphries is sixth in hitting percentage at .340 and Finney is seventh at .320.
- The Spartans began the 2010 season with an impressive 8-1 record over their first nine matches. That marked the best start in school history since UNCG began the 1994 season 9-1.
- The Spartans kicked off their 2010 season by claiming the Spartan Classic title in Norfolk, Va. On Friday, UNCG swept Navy, 3-0, to begin the tournament before defeating Kent State, 3-1. UNCG came back on Saturday and beat host Norfolk State in five sets and then dismantled Providence, 3-1.
- In addition to winning the Spartan Classic, sophomore Olivia Humphries and junior Ariel Newman earned all-tournament honors. Humphries won the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award, as well.
- UNCG returns eight players, including four starters, from the 2009 squad that went 17-14 overall and 9-7 in the Southern Conference. The Spartans finished the season tied for third in the North Division and missed making the postseason by one game.
- Before the season, the Spartans were tabbed to finish in fourth place in the North Division by the head coaches in the SoCon. Samford was picked to win the North Division, while reigning SoCon Tournament Champion College of Charleston was chosen to claim the South Division.
- The Spartans welcome seven newcomers to the program this year. Sarah Eldridge comes in as a junior after transferring from a successful two years at Cowley County Community College, while Karrian Chambers, Samantha Deutchman, Lara Keyes, Kellie Orewiler, Karen Stedman and Savannah Tomlinson enter as freshman.
- The Spartans lost three seniors to graduation at the completion of the 2009 season, including former libero Catherine Hanners. Upon the completion of the season, she was named the SoCon Libero of the Year, as well as earning second-team All-SoCon honors.
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