Runnin' Bulldogs Halt Spartans
9/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Despite winning the opening set in its match-up against Gardner-Webb, the USC Upstate women's volleyball team could not find another pair of sets as the Runnin' Bulldogs ultimately took the "W" Tuesday evening, 3-1 ( 25-20, 22-25, 22-25, 21-25).
Upstate (3-7) was led by Katie Downey and Morgan Thomas who found 13 kills apiece. Additionally, Thomas found a pair of solo blocks and Downey registered an ace. Notably, Emily Sanders found 45 assists and 12 digs for the Spartans to record her ninth double-double on the season and Megan Healey tied a game-high 15 digs.
Gardner-Webb (4-6) was paced by Melissa Richie, Laura Wilcox and Molly Rhyne who put away 14, 12 and 11 kills, respectively. Also aiding the Runnin' Bulldogs was Evan Moffitt with 45 assists and 10 digs and Lauren Evans with 15 digs.
Although Upstate started down in the opening set, 4-1, it was not long before attack errors got the best of the Runnin' Bulldogs and the "U" saw kills from Downey, Kelsie Queen, Thomas, Mindy Quimby and Cori Harris to pull ahead, 10-9. Following her teammates lead, Healey found the floor on back-to-back service aces to put Upstate up by three, 9-12, and the Spartans ran with the lead, finishing out the first set up by five, 25-20.
In the second set, Gardner-Webb came out killin' with a 4-0 lead on the Spartans. Though Upstate was able to battle back to tie it up at six and again on five separate occasions, the Runnin' Bulldogs managed to pick up the second set on kills by Rhyne and Richie, 25-22.
A kill by Downey from Sanders opened up the third set in the Spartans favor, but Upstate would not see the lead again as the Runnin' Bulldogs took momentum from the second set to run away with the third in déjà vu for the Spartans, 25-22.
The stay-alive opportunity presented itself in the fourth set for the Spartans as the "U" began on a 3-0 lead, but after Moffitt took the line to serve, Gardner-Webb found the lead once again with a 5-4 lead on the Spartans. Staying in the game, Upstate put together an offensive push that kept them in-line with the Runnin' Bulldogs, 21-21, before attack errors overcame the Spartan offense and Gardner-Webb put the fourth set, and the win under its belt, 25-21.
Upstate will resume play on Thursday night in its first conference match-up of the 2010 season. On Thursday, the "U" is set to face off against Stetson in its "home-away-from-home opener" at 7 p.m.
