Box Score (.pdf)

Charlotte, N.C. – Madison Haake became the first USC Upstate volleyball player in 17 years to record a triple-double Friday evening as the Spartans opened their 2015 season with a 3-1 (31-29, 27-29, 25-16, 25-22) victory over the UNC Asheville Bulldogs during the opening match of the Charlotte Invitational.

The last time Upstate had a player record a triple-double was exactly 17 years ago when Sara Henrichs compiled 10 kills, 14 digs and 15 blocks against Missouri-St. Louis on Aug. 28, 1998. Haake is also the first A-Sun player since Oct. 15, 2011 to post a triple-double when Belmont's Jen Myer had 13 kills, 12 digs and 11 service aces versus Jacksonville.

The Spartans have won their season opener for the second straight year after starting last season with an identical 3-1 win over the Bulldogs at Clemson's Big Orange Bash.

Haake led the way with 16 kills, 25 assists and 14 digs and hit .400 for the match. Kayla Eversgerd added a double-double with a match-high 19 kills and 15 digs. Callie Yeargin, also playing in her first collegiate match, compiled a double-double with 12 kills and 17 digs. Shannon Weiss fell just one service ace shy of tying a school record after finishing with a career-high eight, and Lexi Gober contributed 25 assists.

Haake and Yeargin combined for three straight kills to open the first set as Upstate scored the first five points. Rebecca Shearer extended the Spartan lead to 9-2 with a kill and held on to that advantage until Eversgerd made it 15-7 several plays later. Upstate led 19-12 late in the set before UNC Asheville rallied with an 8-1 run to tie the frame 20-20. Eversgerd ended the charge with a kill and Haake would put the Spartans at set point 24-22. The Bulldogs would tie the set again at 24-24 and send the opening set into extra points. The teams traded points for the ensuing 11 plays until back-to-back kills from Haake gave Upstate a 31-29 victory.

The Spartans split the opening eight points of the second set before a 7-1 run led to an 11-5 cushion after a kill by Eversgerd. UNC Asheville fought back to within two at 12-10, but Upstate would hold the lead until late in the set when a kill by Christine Lakatos and an Eversgerd attack error gave the Bulldogs a 22-20 lead. Trailing 24-22 after a ball-handling error, the Spartans answered with three of the next four points to tie the score at 25-25 on another kill from Haake. UNC Asheville benefited from two straight attack errors to win the second set 29-27 and even the match at 1-1.

Haake picked up her triple-double in the third set as Upstate never trailed in the frame to win 25-16. Weiss recorded four service aces within the first 11 points to give the Spartans an early 9-2 lead. The Bulldogs used two straight attack errors to trim the lead down to 10-6 before Upstate went on a quick 5-1 run to go in front 15-7 following a kill by Shearer. The Spartans took its largest lead of the set at 24-14 after UNC Asheville committed four straight errors.  

The fifth set saw both teams never lead by more than one for the opening 20 points as Weiss made it 10-10 with her final service ace of the evening. Upstate benefitted from two consecutive UNCA errors to take a 12-10 lead before the Bulldogs registered seven straight points to go in front 17-12. The Spartans put together a rally of their own as a 7-2 run equaled the score at 19-19. After trading the next six points, Upstate received two kills from Eversgerd and Haake to sit at set point 24-22. The Spartans took the set, and match, the following play as Cameron Pryor's error gave them a 25-22 victory.

Lakatos led UNC Asheville with 14 kills and 16 digs. Katie Davis contributed 28 assists and Bryn Pfeiffer 23 digs.

Upstate returns to action Saturday beginning at 12 p.m. against host school Charlotte followed by a 5 p.m. matchup with Davidson.

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