HIGH POINT, N.C. – For the second time in as many matches on the final weekend of the regular season, USC Upstate volleyball's defense racked up double-digit blocks as the Spartans tallied 11.0 total blocks Saturday afternoon in the regular-season finale at High Point.
Upstate's 11.0 blocks against the Panthers give the Spartans their eighth match with 10 or more blocks this season, recording 10-plus blocks in back-to-back matches for the second time this season. Senior middle blocker
Alexis Mareko led the Upstate defense, posting six total blocks, collecting a solo block and five block assists while junior right-side hitter
Briana Strobert finished with five total blocks, tallying a solo block and four block assists.
Behind the block, the Spartans' defense scooped up 61 digs as three Spartans finished the match with double-digit digs. Leading the trio with 10-plus digs was senior libero
Mackenzie Marcum who dug out 15 balls and has totaled double-figure digs in each of her past six matches. Also in double-digits, senior outside hitter
Kelly Wiedemann tallied 14 digs while senior setter
Allie Hamsher totaled 12.
Adding to her 12 digs, Hamsher also passed out a team-high 19 assists, securing her 11
th double-double of the year, and has wrapped the regular season with five straight double-doubles.
Leading the Upstate offense, senior outside hitter
Breeana Gamueda paced the Spartans in kills for the third straight match—the second with double-figure kills—as she posted 12 terminations in the match. For the second consecutive match, Strobert and sophomore middle blocker
Nikki Deslatte joined Gamueda among the top three scorers for the Spartans, finishing with nine and six kills, respectively.
In service, Upstate finished with four service aces in the match as Wiedemann led the Spartans with two winners while Gamueda and Marcum added one apiece.
UP Next for the Spartans
While awaiting official word on the team's seeding, Upstate turns its attention to postseason play as the Spartans will compete in the 2021 Big South Volleyball Championships that run from November 19-21 in Buies Creek, N.C. The three-day, single-elimination championship features the top six teams in the regular-season standings.
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