Box Score (.pdf)

Spartanburg, S.C. – Rebecca Shearer netted her first career double-double Saturday afternoon, but USC Upstate would drop a 3-2 decision to the Stetson Hatters in A-Sun volleyball action from the Hodge Center.

The Spartans fall to 9-12 on the season and 0-5 in league play, while Stetson's record moves to 12-6 overall and 4-1 in the conference.

Shearer set new career-highs Saturday as she collected 37 assists and 19 digs, and was one of three players to finish with 10 or more digs. Shannon Weiss and Kayla Eversgerd barely missed double-doubles as both had nine kills and 12 digs on the afternoon. Kayla McAvoy and Emily Koelling each led Upstate with 10 kills.

McKenna Foster had a match-high 15 kills for the Hatters and was joined in double-figures by Madison Akins with 12. Kayla Weller added a double-double with 49 assists and 15 digs, while Alexa Drost led the team with 18 digs.

Stetson was ahead the entire first set as it jumped out to an early 7-3 lead on a service ace by Akins and Foster's kill. Following a Spartan timeout, the Hatters stretched their lead to 15-6 after going on an 8-3 run as Erika White's service ace put them in front by nine. Upstate later trimmed their deficit down to six, 18-12, as Weiss capped a 6-3 run off with her kill. A combination block by Weller and Shelby Connors gave Stetson the 25-14 set victory to go up 1-0 in the match.

The Spartans responded in the second set by winning 25-21 and evening the match at 1-1. The Hatters recorded four of the first five points to open the frame as Foster's kill made it 4-1. Upstate answered with four straight points to take its first lead of the set at 5-4 after Weiss' kill. The teams then stayed within one point of each other for the next several plays until a ball-handling error by Shearer gave Stetson a 14-12 advantage. The Spartans kept close midway through the set before three consecutive points gave them a 20-17 lead behind the serving of Weiss. Foster got the Hatters back to within one, 22-21, but Upstate scored the set's final three points to win 25-21. Eversgerd won the set for the Spartans with her kill.

Upstate would take a 2-1 lead in the match after winning the third set 25-19. The Spartans quickly jumped out to a 4-2 lead to start the set after an attack error by Akins, and would make it 8-4 a few plays later with a kill from Koelling. Stetson took the lead back at 12-8 courtesy of an 8-0 run, only to see Upstate pick up five straight to re-take the lead 14-12. The Spartans would increase their lead to five, 19-14, and not look back from there. After Foster cut the Upstate lead to two, the Spartans won the set 25-19 on a kill by McAvoy and an attack error by Jessica Armstrong.

Stetson would force the match into a fifth set after taking the fourth by a score of 25-15. The Hatters opened with a 6-1 run and later increased their cushion to 12-3 with a kill by Connors. Upstate rallied with a 9-2 run of its own to cut Stetson's lead to 14-12 as Koelling, McAvoy and Dominique Arnold each had kills. The Spartans would be held to three points after that as the Hatters recorded the final four points for the ten-point victory.

The teams split the first 10 points of the fifth set before an attack error by Alexis Villa gave Upstate a 6-5 lead. Stetson posted seven points in a row after that to go in front 12-6 led by two kills from Villa. The Spartans got as close as four, 13-9, but the Hatters used an Upstate attack error to take the set 15-9, and win the match 3-2.

The Spartans hit the road for the next three matches starting Friday, Oct. 17 when they face Jacksonville at 7 p.m.

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