Volleyball Turns to Its Floor Defense to Lead the Spartans to a Sweep of UNC Asheville

Friday, September 30

Spartanburg, S.C.

6:00 p.m.

University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics

4-12,2-2Big South

UNC Asheville

3-10,0-3Big South

UNC Asheville

USC Upstate

Photo by: Ava Morgan

9/30/2022 9:58:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Photo Gallery

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Providing a follow-up to the team's comeback attempt in last night's five-set match, USC Upstate volleyball wasted no time in returning to the win column as the team's floor defense brought their shovels to work before turning them in for brooms as the Spartans swept regional rival UNC Asheville (25-11, 26-24, 25-22) Friday night.

For the first time in nearly six years (Nov. 4, 2016), Upstate's floor defense posted a dig per set figure greater than 25 digs, averaging 25.67 digs per set against UNC Asheville. Overall, the Spartans scooped up 77 balls in the match's three-set duration as three players totaled double-digit digs.

Leading the trio with double-figure digs a pair of Spartans tallied career-best dig totals with sophomore right-side hitter Kate Idrogo picking up a career-high 19 balls and sophomore libero Sami Allen—in her first career start—scooping up a career-best 12 digs. Rounding out the trio, sophomore defensive specialist Julia Gladhill added 10 digs while freshman middle blocker Ady O'Grady finished just shy of double-figures with a career-best nine digs.

Supplementing the team's floor defense and benefiting from the floor defense's transition, Upstate's offense hit greater than .200 as a team for the fourth time this season as five Spartans recorded five or more kills.

The only player to surpass double-digit kills in the match, sophomore outside hitter Ashleigh Nicoll registered 11 terminations while hitting .310 in the match, finishing with seven kills and no errors over the match's final two sets. A kill short of double-digits was junior middle blocker Nikki Deslatte who tied a season-high with nine kills. Senior right-side hitter Briana Strobert (seven), O'Grady (six), and freshman outside hitter Isabella Raciunas (six) rounded out the group of Spartans with five-plus kills.

Pacing the Upstate attack, freshman setter Savannah Page passed out a career-high 38 assists as she surpassed 30-plus assists in each of her three complete matches as the team's primary setter. She also added four kills, three service aces, seven digs, and three total blocks in the match.

Adding to Page's three aces and helping the Spartans apply pressure in the service game, O'Grady tied for the team lead with three winners. As a team, Upstate accrued eight total aces.

UP Next for the Spartans
For the final time this season, Upstate faces a non-conference opponent as the team heads to Orangeburg, S.C. Monday evening for a match versus South Carolina State. The match features a 7 p.m. ET first serve.

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