Nov. 15, 2008

Final Stats

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - For the second straight match, the USC Upstate volleyball team placed four players in double-digit kills, propelling Upstate to a 3-1 (25-23, 21-25, 25-23, 25-20) win over Campbell in Atlantic Sun Conference play on Saturday afternoon at the Hodge Center.

Senior Jovana Lubura (Belgrade, Serbia/New Mexico Military Institute) led the team with 14 kills and nine digs. Both sophomore Sandra Campbell (Orlando, Fla./Pilot Point (Texas)) and freshman Kelsie Queen (Blythewood, S.C./Ridge View) each added 12 kills and freshman Morgan Thomas (Plantation, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) added 11. In all, the Spartans (8-21 overall, 4-16 A-Sun) posted 67 kills and hit .253 (67-23-174) in the win and posted 87 digs while Campbell (7-22 overall, 5-15 A-Sun) posted just 73.

Senior Holly Mauldin (Columbia, S.C./Irmo) posted 28 assists and a career-high 19 digs for her 11th double-double of the season and sophomore Megan Healey (St. Louis, Mo./Ursuline Academy) added 17 digs, two aces and four assists for Upstate. Junior Morgan Bucciferro (Shorewood, Ill./Minooka Community) added 21 assists and six digs and Tijana Knezevic (Indija, Serbia/New Mexico Military Institute) added three kills and a season-high 10 digs. Senior Jenna Leslie (Houston, Texas/Westfield) added six digs and senior Angie Varnum (Salinas, Puerto Rico/New Mexico Military Institute) also added a kill.

Upstate took control of the match in the third set. After falling behind 17-13, the Spartans got a kill from Thomas and a block from Thomas and Queen, to close within one point before a Camels' attack error tied the set at 17. From there the teams battled to a tie at 21 when a kill from Campbell and an ace from Mauldin gave the Spartans a 23-21 lead. The teams traded sideouts with a kill from freshman Jane Hawryliw (North Battleford, Saskatchewan/North Battleford) closing out the set.

In the fourth set, a kill from Hawryliw with the set tied at 10 sparked five straight Spartan points and pitting Upstate in control of the match. The lead grew to as many as seven after a kill from Queen gave Upstate a 21-14 lead. The Camels closed within three points at 23-20, but a Camel block error and a Healey service ace closed the match.

The Spartans had a 12-9 lead in the first set but the Camels fought back to tie the match. With the score tied at 19, a kill from Healey and another by Campbell was followed by a Camels' attack error, helping Upstate take a three-point lead. From there, were able to hold off the Camels, as kills from Thomas and Queen closed the set.

The Camels took the second set. With the score tied at 12, the Camels closed the set on a 13-9 run. Emily Werner led the Camels in the set with five kills. The Camels were led by Hope Leatigaga. Who had 51 assists and 13 digs and Emily Werner, who posted 21 kills and 10 digs. Ashley Weers added 13 kills and Sarah Hill posted 14 digs. Lauren Garza added 13 digs and Elizabeth Ennis had 16 digs.

The match was be preceded by a short ceremony honoring the team's five seniors, Knezevic, Leslie, Lubura, Mauldin and Varnum. The Spartans also presented head coach Jen Calloway with a game ball in recognition of her reaching 250 career wins, all at Upstate, on Sept. 23 against Presbyterian.

The Spartans now get set for Mr. Gatti's Provisional Invitational, a six-team tournament featuring Presbyterian, N.C. Central, Winston-Salem State, North Florida and Central Arkansas. The tournament starts at 9 a.m. on Friday and all 12 matches taking place in the Hodge Center, with six on Friday and six on Saturday.