Upstate-WCU Box (PDF) | Upstate-Wright State Box (PDF)
Cullowhee, N.C. – The USC Upstate volleyball team closed out play at the Western Carolina Invitational Saturday afternoon, dropping a 3-1 decision to Western Carolina and a 3-0 decision to Wright State in the Ramsey Center.
Upstate claimed the first set in the 3-1 loss to Western Carolina, finishing the match with set scores of 25-20, 11-25, 17-25 and 9-25. The Spartans fell to Wright State by scores of 18-25, 19-25 and 14-25. The Spartans fell to 0-3 on the season and will hit the court next when they host the Hampton Inn & Suites Spartan Classic next Friday and Saturday in the Hodge Center.
Upstate at Western Carolina
Upstate turned in a tremendous first set against Western Carolina. The Spartans had a match-high 12 kills in the set en route to the five-point win. Kayla Eversgerd (Breese, Ill.) had four of her 12 kills in the match in the first set. Upstate fell behind, 5-3, early in the set, then went on a 7-2 run to open a 10-7 lead. Western Carolina fought back and opened its own three-point lead at 17-14. That is when Upstate rattled off four consecutive points to open an 18-17 lead, the last three points coming on back-to-back aces from Shannon Weiss (Highland, Ill.) and a kill from Eversgerd.
After Western Carolina fought back to tie the set at 19-19, Upstate scored two unanswered points and then the last four points of the set to take the 25-20 win.
Western Carolina broke away early in the second set and cruised to the 25-11 win. Upstate trailed 6-3 early on when Western Carolina went on a 9-2 run to open a 15-5 lead. Upstate never took the deficit under double digits the rest of the set as Western Carolina evened the match at 1-1.
Western Carolina again broke open a close game early with a run that established a solid lead and went on for the win. Upstate trailed by just one, 5-4, when the Catamounts went on a 14-6 run to open a 19-10 lead. While Upstate attempted to fight back, the margin was too much to overcome as Western Carolina took the eight-point win.
Western Carolina did not allow Upstate to get a foothold in the fourth set and went on for the win and the match. The Catamounts used a 15-3 run to open the set and Upstate could only get as close as 11 points the rest of the way.
Eversgerd led the way for Upstate, finishing with 12 kills and 10 digs. Emily Koelling (Bartelso, Ill.) added 10 kills, while Lexi Gober (Edwardsville, Ill.) added 31 assists and Kelsey Bagwell (Spartanburg, S.C.) totaled 24 digs. Addy George led Western Carolina with eight kills and nine blocks.
Upstate vs. Wright State
Wright State used a decisive run midway through the first set, grabbed an early lead in the second and used a run midway through the third set to take the 3-0 win.
In the first set, Upstate was tied at 4-4 when Wright State ran off five straight points to open a 9-4 lead. Upstate, though, fought back to get within 12-9. After falling behind by as many as seven, the Spartans battled back to get within four late in the set before falling by seven.
Upstate fell behind early in the second half, trailing by as many as seven, but never gave in. The Spartans fought back to get within three six times, the last coming at 21-18, but could not get any closer as Wright State took the 25-19 win.
After going back and forth early in the third set, Wright State used a 10-4 run to open a 13-7 lead to gain control. Upstate fought back to get within three points, but Wright State opened an eight point lead, 19-11, and eased its way to the win in the set and the match.
Koelling led the way for Upstate with eight kills. Eversgerd added 14 digs, while Weiss totaled seven kills and 11 digs. Gober added 21 assists and seven digs. Heidi Splinter led Wright State with 17 kills and 14 digs.
Eversgerd Makes All-Tournament Team
Following completion of play on Saturday, the all-tournament team was slected for the WCU Invitational and Kayla Eversgerd represented Upstate on the team. Eversgerd, who was key in the set win over Western Carolina, finished the three matches in the tournament with 20 kills and a team-high 27 digs.
Follow Upstate volleyball all season long on your mobile device, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
