A-Sun Leading Eagles Down Spartans, 3-0
9/14/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 14, 2009
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Senior Morgan Bucciferro (Joliet, Ill./Minooka Community) posted the fifth double-double of the season by posting 13 kills and 10 digs, but it wasn't enough to lift the USC Upstate volleyball team past Florida Gulf Coast, as the Eagles posted a 3-0 (25-21, 25-15, 25-21) win in Atlantic Sun Conference action at the Hodge Center on Monday night.
Bucciferro moved within 13 assists of becoming the sixth player in school history to reach 2,000 career assists as she led Upstate (3-8 overall, 0-4 A-Sun). Freshmen Mindy Quimby (Keenesburg, Colo./Weld Central) and Paige Weiland (Atlanta, Ga./Marist School) each posted nine digs and junior Megan Healey (St. Louis, Mo./Ursuline Academy) added eight digs.
Junior Erin Jacobsen (Virginia, Minn./Iowa Lakes C.C.) posted four blocks and three kills and sophomore Kelsie Queen (Blythewood, S.C./Ridge View) led Upstate with seven kills. Freshman Emily Sanders (Sullivan, Ill./Sullivan) added three aces.
The Eagles (5-5 overall, 4-0 A-Sun) took a 10-7 lead in the first set, but a three-point rally capped by a block from Jacobsen and senior Karla Andree (Cypress, Calif./Cypress C.C.) tied the set at 10. The Spartans stayed close to FGCU for much of the rest of the set until back-to-back Eagle blocks gave FGCU a 21-18 lead. The Spartans got back within a point at 21-20, but kills from Emma Racila and Anna Wagner gave FGCU a 23-20 lead and the Eagles went on for the 25-21 win.
Holding a 9-7 lead in the second set, the Eagles went on a 9-2 run to control the set, going on for a 25-15 win, as they hit .583 with no errors.
Upstate came back energized after the break, taking a 6-2 lead in the third set after a kill from Quimby. However, Wagner served for four points to give FGCU an 8-7 lead. The teams battled to a tie at 13 before two FGCU points gave the Eagles a lead they wouldn't relinquish, going on for the 25-21 win.
Jelena Simic led the Eagles, posting 12 kills, 12 digs and two blocks. Chandra Lefever posted 33 assists and 13 digs and Jacqueline Cowden posted nine kills and five blocks. Holly Youngquist posted a match-high 14 digs.
The Spartans will head to Jacksonville, Fla., this weekend for a pair of A-Sun matches in the Bold New City of the South, facing Jacksonville on Friday at 7 p.m. before facing North Florida on Saturday at 3 p.m.
