SPARTANBURG, S.C.- The USC Upstate volleyball team picked up their first sweep of the season on Friday night with a 3-0 (26-24, 25-14, 25-21) win over Gardner-Webb at the Eddie and Anne Payne Arena located inside the G.B. Hodge Center.
 
USC Upstate (4-9, 1-1 BSC) has now won back-to-back home games for the first time this season. The Spartans now boast a three game winning streak over Gardner-Webb (2-12, 0-3 BSC) their longest winning streak since both teams moved up to Division I.
 
The opening set was very competitive between the two programs as the teams exchanged leads seven times and the score was tied on 10 other occasions. After a setting error by Abbey Sprinkle gave USC Upstate a 23-22 lead late in the first set it appeared that the Spartans had finally broken through the pesky Bulldogs defense. Moments later Maria Emmick hit back-to-back kills to give Gardner-Webb the set point at 24-23.
 
USC Upstate head coach Ronda Shirley called a timeout to give her team a much needed pep talk and the team responded coming out of the break. Mikenzie Young-Mullins (Duncan, S.C.) slammed home a kill to tie the match at 24. Young-Mullins then recorded a service ace to give the Spartans the lead and Gloria Ikenegbu (Anderson, S.C.) sealed the set for the Spartans with a kill. Young-Mullins and McKenna Kirkpatrick (Omaha, Neb.) each had five kills in the opening set to led the team.
 
The first 22 points of the second set were up for grabs as each side battled for momentum in the set. Tied at 11 the Spartans began to feed off the home crowd energy and won the next three points. An Emmick kill at 17-14 proved to be the final points of the set for Gardner-Webb as the Spartans ended the set on an 8-0 run. Emily Russell (Mills River, N.C.) and Young-Mullins had the final kills of the second set to give the Spartans a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
In the third set it was all USC Upstate has the Spartans raced out to a 9-3 lead over the Bulldogs. Late in the third set Ikenegbu slammed the ball past a pair of Bulldogs and the Spartans held a commanding 18-10 advantage in the set. Although the Bulldogs attempted the comeback the Spartans held them at bay and won the final set 25-21. Kirkpatrick had seven kills in the final set to help the Spartans pick up the home victory.
 
Stats of the Match

• Russell led the team with 13 kills and Kirkpatrick contributed 12 kills in the win.
• Young-Mullins ended the night one kill away from her third consecutive double-double, the Palmetto State native ended the match with 9 kills and 12 digs.
• Scout Hoffmeier led the team in digs with 13 and fellow freshman Annalisa Mendoza ended the night with 39 assists.
• Emmick finished the night with 7 kills to lead the Bulldogs offense.
• The Spartans recorded 43 kills in the contest and seven service aces.

 
Up Next

• The Spartans will be back at home tomorrow afternoon against Winthrop University. First serve is set for 2:00 p.m. inside the G.B. Hodge Center.

 
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