Sept. 13, 2008

Final Stats

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The USC Upstate volleyball team got 10 kills from senior Jovana Lubura (Belgrade, Serbia/New Mexico Military Institute) and 12 digs from sophomore Megan Healey (St. Louis, Mo./Ursuline Academy), but Lipscomb got 12-kill performances from Katie Rose and Alex Kelly to take a 3-0 (25-17, 25-15, 25-23) decision on Saturday afternoon at Allen Arena in Atlantic Sun Conference action.

USC Upstate (3-7 overall, 1-2 A-Sun) put a scare into the Lady Bisons (4-6 overall, 3-0 A-Sun), who have won all nine Atlantic Sun Conference sets they've played this season, in the third set, but fell just short. After a kill by sophomore Sandra Campbell (Orlando, Fla./Pilot Point (Texas)) tied the score at 17, a kill from freshman Kelsie Queen (Blythewood, S.C./Ridge View) gave Upstate a slim lead. The teams alternated points until a kill from Lubura and a Lipscomb attack error gave the Spartans a two-point lead at 21-19 and forced a Lipscomb timeout.

After the timeout, however, Lipscomb scored three straight points to take a 22-21 lead. Both teams alternated service errors and then a kill from Stefine Pease gave Lipscomb a 24-23 advantage. A well-placed bump from Lubura closed the margin to one point, but the A-Sun's leader in kills, Kelly, put the set away with a kill to end the match.

In the first set, Lipscomb used a 13-7 run expanding its lead to 20-12, but Upstate scored four of the next five points to close within five points. However, that was as close as Upstate could get with Lipscomb earning the 25-17 win. Campbell had five kills in the set for the Spartans.

The Spartans fought into the second set, tying the set at six after a Bisons attack error, but three straight Lipscomb points put the Bisons in control. Another Lipscomb attack error brought Upstate within two at 11-9, but from there, the Bisons closed the set on a 14-6 run to win the set 25-15.

Campbell added six kills and five digs for Upstate while Lurbura had 10 kills and five digs. Senior Holly Mauldin (Columbia, S.C./Irmo) had 12 assists and seven digs. Freshman Jane Hawryliw (North Battleford, Sasketchewan/North Battleford) added two aces and three digs. Senior Angie Varnum (Salinas, Puerto Rico/New Mexico Military Institute) added three blocks and freshman Morgan Thomas (Plantation, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) added four kills and two blocks.

Pease posted 24 assists and Amy Trykowski had two aces and three blocks for the Lady Bisons. Jessica Turner added 13 digs and Rose posted nine digs to go with her 12 kills.

The Spartans head back to the Hodge Center where they will get set to face North Florida in another Atlantic Sun Conference battle on Friday at 7 p.m.