Sanders Notches Eight Double-Double, Spartans Fall At Belmont, 3-0
10/10/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 10, 2009
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Freshman Emily Sanders (Sullivan, Ill./Sullivan) posted 12 assists and 10 digs for her eighth double-double of the season, but it wasn't enough for the USC Upstate volleyball team to overcome Belmont, as the Bruins took a 3-0 (25-14, 25-14, 25-17) win at the Curb Event Center in Atlantic Sun Conference action on Saturday afternoon.
Sophomore Morgan Thomas (Plantation, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) led the Spartans (5-14 overall, 1-9 A-Sun) with seven kills and three blocks. Junior Katie Downey (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) posted a team-high four blocks and junior Erin Jacobsen (Virginia, Minn./Iowa Lakes C.C.) added four kills, two aces, eight digs and two blocks and freshman Mindy Quimby (Keenesburg, Colo./Weld Central) added four kills and 10 digs.
Downey posted a kill in the first set to tie it at six, but the Bruins (11-9 overall, 7-3 A-Sun) scored four straight points, with two coming from Jenny Gray, as the Bruins went on a 9-2 run en route to the 25-14 win. In the second set, five service aces from Gray on her serve gave the Bruins an 11-2 lead en route to another 25-14 win.
In the third set, Upstate took a 6-3 lead after a kill by Thomas before Kayla Albritton served up six straight points and Maggie Johnson followed by adding five more points as Belmont took a 16-8 lead. Sophomore Kelsie Queen (Blythewood, S.C./Ridge View) followed with two straight kills, but Upstate could get no closer than five points the rest of the way, as Belmont held on for the 25-17 win.
Maggie Johnson added 12 kills, five digs and two blocks and Tara Blood notched four kills and five blocks for the Bruins. Channing Saliva added 31 assists and six digs and Megan Clements posted 13 digs.
The Spartans will wrap up their trip to the Music City on Saturday, when they face Belmont in an Atlantic Sun Conference match at 2 p.m. CT.
