Aug. 29, 2009

Final Stats

PEORIA, Ill. - Freshman Emily Sanders (Sullivan, Ill./Sullivan) posted her second straight double-double, posting 15 assists and 11 digs and freshman Paige Weiland (Atlanta, Ga./Marist School) narrowly missed a double-double with a match-high 15 kills and nine digs as the USC Upstate volleyball team downed Chicago State, 3-0 (25-16, 25-22, 25-11), on Saturday morning at the Hotels at Grand Prairie Invitational at the Markin Center.

Senior Morgan Bucciferro (Joliet, Ill./Minooka Community) also played solidly as part of Upstate's 6-2 setting rotation, notching 16 assists, nine digs and three aces. Sophomore Morgan Thomas (Plantation, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) posted a match-high four blocks in the match, helping her become the 34th player in school history to reach 100 career rejections.

The Spartans (2-1 overall) jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first set, as sophomore Kelsie Queen (Blythewood, S.C./Ridge View) posted three kills in the run. The Spartans sustained at least a four-point lead the rest of the way until a kill by junior Erin Jacobsen (Virginia, Minn./Iowa Lakes C.C.) ignited a closing 6-1 run that was capped by two kills from Thomas and an ace by Queen to give the Spartans the 25-16 win.

Upstate fell behind 9-6 in the second set, but a kill from Weiland helped spark a 7-2 run capped by a pair of kills from Jacobsen that gave Upstate a 14-11 lead. However, three straight attack errors by Upstate tied the set at 14, but the Spartans responded with four straight points, including kills from both Bucciferro and Weiland. The Cougars (0-3 overall) closed with two points three times and even got within a point at 23-22, but Upstate was able to close out the set with a kill from Jacobsen and a Cougar error to take the 25-22 win.

The Spartans leaped out to an 8-0 lead in the third set thanks to two kills from Weiland, two aces from Bucciferro and a kill from junior Katie Downey (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West). From there, the Cougars could get no closer than seven points and senior Karla Andree (Cypress, Calif./Cypress C.C.) served up six straight points to give Upstate a 19-5 lead. The teams traded sideouts for much of the rest of the match, with Upstate taking the set 25-11, the largest margin of victory in a set for Upstate since the 25-point set format was introduced in 2008.

Jacobsen notched seven kills, hitting .417, in the match and junior Megan Healey (St. Louis, Mo./Ursuline Academy) added a match-high 14 digs.

Hanya Minta posted six kills, 11 digs and 11 assists to lead the Cougars. Mazvita Maziveyi, Minta, Kimberly Naut and Brittany Hale each had two blocks.

Upstate will wrap up its play at the Hotels at Grand Prairie Invitational by facing IUPUI at 2 p.m .today at the Markin Center.