SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Behind an all-around team effort in all phases of the game, USC Upstate volleyball accomplished something Friday evening it hadn't as a program since September 1, 2015, as it continued its streak of success inside the G.B. Hodge Center.
 
Taking its match with Winthrop in four sets, using scores of 25-22, 25-22, 22-25, and 25-21, Upstate secured just its second victory over Winthrop in the Division I era—the first since 2015.
 
The Spartans' all-around performance featured the team's third 50-plus kill match of the season, totaling 56 with 54 of the team's kills featuring an assist—the team's second 50-plus assist match of the year.
 
In reaching 56 total kills, all six attackers finished with eight or more kills, headlined by a match-high 13 terminations from junior right-side hitter Briana Strobert and 10 kills from senior outside hitter Breeana Gamueda. Just shy of double-figures was senior setter/right-side hitter Allie Hamsher who totaled a career-best nine kills.
 
Defensively, the Spartans' floor defense shined, tallying 95 digs in the match to post the team's highest dig total since September 29, 2017. Four players finished with double-digit digs as three Spartans tallied 20 or more digs led by career-high totals from Gamueda (24) and Hamsher (23) with senior libero Mackenzie Marcum tying a season-high with 22 digs.
 
Adding to her career-highs in kills and assists, Hamsher added 23 assists on the evening, finishing a kill shy of the program's first triple-double since 2017. Dishing out a match-high 25 assists, sophomore setter Emma McElveen neared her first career double-double, adding nine digs in the match. Notching the other of Upstate's double-doubles, Gamueda tallied her third of the season behind 10 kills and 24 assists.
 
Upstate's defensive effort didn't just stop on the floor as the Spartans were stout at the net, collecting 12.0 total blocks in the match, surpassing 10 or more blocks for the third time in 2021. Leading the Upstate block Strobet and senior middle blocker Alexis Mareko tallied seven total blocks apiece as Mareko's total gives her 125 total blocks in her career, becoming the 12^th Spartan to reach the milestone in the D1 era.
 
In addition to the seven total blocks each from Strobert and Mareko, sophomore middle blocker Nikki Deslatte totaled a season-high five blocks.
 
UP Next for the Spartans
Following its victory Friday night, Upstate continues its defense of its home court, welcoming Gardner-Webb to the Hodge Saturday afternoon. First serve is set for 2 p.m. ET.
 
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