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Volleyball Completes Perfect Opening Weekend with 3-1 Victory over Hampton
| In Progress - 4th | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNCG (3-0) | 20 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 | |
| Hampton (1-2) | 25 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 1 |
| UNCG | Hampton |
|---|---|
|
K:
Karrian Chambers - 17
B: Olivia Humphries - 7 D: Katherine Santiago - 14 SA: 3 Players (#9, #10, #12 - 2) |
K:
KRASKURA,Krista - 12
B: BAYLOR,Mariah - 3 D: KRASKURA,Krista - 11 SA: 3 Players (#3, #11, #14 - 2) |
| TEAM STATISTICS | UNCG | Hampton |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | .319 | .102 |
| Blocks | 8.0 | 4.0 |
| Digs | 58 | 40 |
| Aces | 7 | 9 |
DURHAM, N.C. – The UNCG volleyball team capped an impressive opening weekend Saturday morning, topping Hampton in four sets at the North Carolina Central Volleyball Invitational inside McDougald-McClendon Gymnasium. The victory marks the second time in the past three seasons the Spartans have opened the year with three-straight wins.
Sophomore Vicky Harley was key in the triumph, setting a program four-set match record for hitting percentage with a .615 mark. She was one of three players with double-digit kills as she put down 10 on 13 attempts with just two errors. Junior Karrian Chambers led the way with 17 kills while redshirt junior Olivia Humphries added 10 of her own. Senior setter Ari Lysacek put in another nice effort, recording 44 assists, six digs and two aces. She was also named to the All-Tournament Team for her efforts during the weekend.
UNCG was a force at the net in the match, out-blocking the Pirates 8.0-4.0 with Humphries tallying six block assists. The Spartans also held the upper hand in kills (59-35) and digs (58-40). UNCG also had three players with double-figure outputs in digs, as freshman Katherine Santiago racked up 14 to go along with 12 and 10 from juniors Kellie Orewiler and Morgan Freeman.
After a kill by Kelsey Sidney gave the Spartans the first point of the match, Hampton edged out to a 4-2 lead when Allysa Medina responded with a kill. UNCG would score eight of the next 12 points to forge ahead by two at 10-8, but a Sidney attack error would knot the score at 11. The teams traded points until both had 17 and that was when the Pirates took charge, capping a 4-0 run with a Medina kill that put the frame out of reach.
The Spartans were the aggressors at the outset of the second interval, as Lysacek's ace gave UNCG a 12-8 advantage. Hampton would score just four more times in the set as a Chambers kill sent the teams to the locker rooms at a set apiece.
A Harley score allowed the Spartans to assume a 4-1 lead in the third frame until the Pirates tied things at eight with a Krista Kraskura kill. It was all UNCG at that point as the Spartans raced out to a 16-9 lead when Sidney and Harley teamed up for a block. Hampton pulled within five later in the set, but it was too late as the Spartans clinched the interval on a Pirate service error.
A bevy of Hampton offensive mistakes allowed UNCG to move in front by a 6-1 count in the fourth set. That was all the cushion the Spartans needed as they cruised to the match-clinching 25-18 victory.
UNCG returns to action Tuesday, Sept. 4, with a match at High Point. First serve from the Millis Center is scheduled for 7 p.m.
- UNCG -
