 |  |
September 21, 2012
UNCG found itself with a 2-0 lead in the match at Elon before the Phoenix stormed back to tie the proceedings at two sets apiece. However, the Spartans had the final say, ending the deciding frame on an 8-1 run to take home the victory.
Junior Karrian Chambers was the story of the evening, racking up 15 kills and a career-high 22 digs for her second double-double of the season. Redshirt junior Olivia Humphries and sophomore Vicky Harley joined Chambers in double-digit kills with 17 and 10 respectively. Defensively, freshman Katherine Santiago racked up 22 digs while junior Kellie Orewiler added 15.
UNCG hit .219 in the match with 60 kills while limiting Elon to a .194 performance, including .056 in the fifth set. The Spartans also outdug the Phoenix by a large margin (78-59). Elon got the best of the blocking at 8.0 to 3.0.
THE BOOK ON THE CITADEL...
The Citadel enters its SoCon opener with an overall record of 2-12 having recorded victories over Stetson and Charleston Southern. The Bulldogs were swept by UNC Wilmington on the road in their last outing. Rachael Farrell paces the offense with 111 kills (2.22 per set) while Emily Dalton leads the defense averaging 3.21 digs per set (167 total). At the net, UNCG will have to figure out Lauren Hurt as she is putting up exactly one block per set with 52 total. The Citadel is hitting .145 as a team and averages 10.27 kills, 14.90 digs and 1.90 blocks per set. UNCG leads the overall series between the schools 19-2 and have won six of the last seven meetings.
STARTING OFF RIGHT IN THE SOCON...
The five-set victory over Elon continued a recent trend of success for the Spartans in league openers. It was the third-straight win for UNCG in a Southern Conference lidlifeter and the sixth in the last eight seasons.
IT'S A LIBEROS' WORLD...
UNCG sports arguably the top libero tandem in the Southern Conference in junior Kellie Orewiler, the reigning SoCon Libero of the Year, and freshman Katherine Santiago have combined for 388 total digs while averaging 3.23 and 4.09 per set respectively.
TRIPLE THE FUN (ALMOST)...
Senior setter Ari Lysacek put on an impressive performance against Liberty, falling just one kill shy of a triple-double. She tallied 44 assists, 12 digs and nine kills to account for UNCG's first double-double of the season. The lone senior on this year's roster also hit for an efficient percentage - picking up the nine kills on 13 attempts with just one error (.615).
SETTING RECORDS AND TAKING NAMES...
Sophomore outside hitter Vicky Harley recorded a career-high 10 kills versus Hampton and hit .615 in the match - a new program best for a four-set contest. She made just one error on 13 attempts in the contest.
ANOTHER EXCELLENT START...
The Spartans opened the season with three victories for the second time in the last three seasons. The last time UNCG began a campaign 3-0 was in 2010 when the Spartans finished with a 22-12 record, a second-place finish in the SoCon North Division and an appearance in the league tournament semifinals.
CLOSE BUT NOT CLOSE ENOUGH...
WHAT'S NEXT?...
UNCG takes its first road trip of the league campaign next weekend, traveling to Western Carolina Friday before battling Appalachian State in Boone Saturday.
Volleyball Hosts The Citadel Saturday Night
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG volleyball team looks to build on Thursday's 3-2 road win at Elon as the Spartans welcome The Citadel to Fleming Gymnasium Saturday night. The contest serves as the first SoCon home match for UNCG this season and will begin at 7 p.m.
"Every match is a new opportunity and we need to be ready from the start," head coach Patrick Nicholas said. "The Citadel is a much improved team and volleyball in the Southern Conference is really good top to bottom. Citadel would love nothing more than to come in and take one in our house."
UNCG found itself with a 2-0 lead in the match at Elon before the Phoenix stormed back to tie the proceedings at two sets apiece. However, the Spartans had the final say, ending the deciding frame on an 8-1 run to take home the victory.
Junior Karrian Chambers was the story of the evening, racking up 15 kills and a career-high 22 digs for her second double-double of the season. Redshirt junior Olivia Humphries and sophomore Vicky Harley joined Chambers in double-digit kills with 17 and 10 respectively. Defensively, freshman Katherine Santiago racked up 22 digs while junior Kellie Orewiler added 15.
UNCG hit .219 in the match with 60 kills while limiting Elon to a .194 performance, including .056 in the fifth set. The Spartans also outdug the Phoenix by a large margin (78-59). Elon got the best of the blocking at 8.0 to 3.0.
THE BOOK ON THE CITADEL...
The Citadel enters its SoCon opener with an overall record of 2-12 having recorded victories over Stetson and Charleston Southern. The Bulldogs were swept by UNC Wilmington on the road in their last outing. Rachael Farrell paces the offense with 111 kills (2.22 per set) while Emily Dalton leads the defense averaging 3.21 digs per set (167 total). At the net, UNCG will have to figure out Lauren Hurt as she is putting up exactly one block per set with 52 total. The Citadel is hitting .145 as a team and averages 10.27 kills, 14.90 digs and 1.90 blocks per set. UNCG leads the overall series between the schools 19-2 and have won six of the last seven meetings.
STARTING OFF RIGHT IN THE SOCON...
The five-set victory over Elon continued a recent trend of success for the Spartans in league openers. It was the third-straight win for UNCG in a Southern Conference lidlifeter and the sixth in the last eight seasons.
IT'S A LIBEROS' WORLD...
UNCG sports arguably the top libero tandem in the Southern Conference in junior Kellie Orewiler, the reigning SoCon Libero of the Year, and freshman Katherine Santiago have combined for 388 total digs while averaging 3.23 and 4.09 per set respectively.
TRIPLE THE FUN (ALMOST)...
Senior setter Ari Lysacek put on an impressive performance against Liberty, falling just one kill shy of a triple-double. She tallied 44 assists, 12 digs and nine kills to account for UNCG's first double-double of the season. The lone senior on this year's roster also hit for an efficient percentage - picking up the nine kills on 13 attempts with just one error (.615).
SETTING RECORDS AND TAKING NAMES...
Sophomore outside hitter Vicky Harley recorded a career-high 10 kills versus Hampton and hit .615 in the match - a new program best for a four-set contest. She made just one error on 13 attempts in the contest.
ANOTHER EXCELLENT START...
The Spartans opened the season with three victories for the second time in the last three seasons. The last time UNCG began a campaign 3-0 was in 2010 when the Spartans finished with a 22-12 record, a second-place finish in the SoCon North Division and an appearance in the league tournament semifinals.
CLOSE BUT NOT CLOSE ENOUGH...
UNCG may sport a 6-6 record thus far, but the Spartans are only six points away from nine wins and three losses. The fifth set has been somewhat unkind to UNCG as the Spartans are 3-4 in matches which go the full duration. After topping Liberty 15-13 in the decider at the North Carolina Central Invitational, the Spartans have fallen by scores of 15-8, 15-13 (twice) and 18-16.
WHAT'S NEXT?...
UNCG takes its first road trip of the league campaign next weekend, traveling to Western Carolina Friday before battling Appalachian State in Boone Saturday.
- UNCG -
