Oct. 18, 2008

Final Stats

MACON, Ga. - The USC Upstate volleyball team got double-double efforts from junior Morgan Bucciferro (Shorewood, Ill./Minooka Community), senior Jovana Lubura (Belgrade, Serbia/New Mexico Military Institute) and senior Holly Mauldin (Columbia, S.C./Irmo), but it wasn't enough for Upstate to get past the three-double-double effort of Mercer, as the Bears took a 3-1 (25-20, 23-25, 25-16, 25-12) win in Atlantic Sun Conference action on Saturday afternoon.

The Spartans (6-14 overall, 3-9 A-Sun) took a back-and-forth affair in the second set. With the score tied at 15, a kill by Krista Hurley and a block by Hurley and Anna Coursey spurred the Bears (14-7 overall, 9-4 A-Sun) on a 4-0 run. Facing a 21-18 deficit, a kill by sophomore Sandra Campbell (Orlando, Fla./Pilot Point (Texas)) spurred a 5-0 Spartan run that was capped by a block from Campbell and Lubura, giving Upstate a 23-21 lead. The teams traded sideouts from there to give Upstate the 25-23 win.

Down 20-12 in the first set, the Spartans mounted a late comeback that started off a block by Campbell and senior Angie Varnum (Salinas, Puerto Rico/New Mexico Military Institute, which started a 6-0 Spartan run. The two point-deficit was as close as Upstate could get, though, as Mercer scored three straight to take a 24-19 lead en route to the 25-20 win.

The Bears opened up an eight-point lead at 22-14 en route to a 25-16 win in the third set, as they expanded a 12-9 lead early in the set thanks to a 10-5 run. After Upstate scored the first point in the fourth set, Mercer went on a 10-1 run and expanded the lead to a set-high 13 points to take the 25-12 win. The Bears hit 46.3 percent (21-2-41) in the fourth set.

Mauldin finished with 20 assists and 10 digs for her team-leading sixth double-double of the season. Lubura added team-highs of 14 kills and 14 digs for her third double-double of the season and second in as many meetings with Mercer. Bucciferro added 11 assists and a season-high 11 digs. Campbell posted seven kills and two blocks and freshman Kelsie Queen (Blythewood, S.C./Ridge View) added nine kills and seven digs.

Mercer was led by double-doubles from Karen Dorris (15 kills, 17 digs), Kelly Jansen (10 digs, 27 assists) and Amiee Frutchey (15 kills, 23 digs). Claire Tucker also added 23 digs.

The Spartans host their final non-conference match of the season, hosting The Citadel on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Hodge Center.