ROCK HILL, S.C. – Opening the closing leg of the team's four-match road swing, USC Upstate volleyball battled Winthrop Friday night, collecting nearly 20 digs per set and claiming 8.0 team total blocks defensively before falling in straight sets.
Game Information
Score: Winthrop 3; USC Upstate 0 (25-20; 25-15; 25-18)
Records: USC Upstate (9-9; 2-4 Big South); Winthrop (6-11; 5-1 Big South)
Location: Winthrop Coliseum | Rock Hill, S.C.
How It Happened
Picking up 19.67 digs per set, totaling 59 digs over the match's three-set duration, Upstate recorded its seventh match of the season—and third during Big South play—averaging more than 18.0 digs per set against Winthrop. The match also featured the Spartans' defense capturing 8.0 team total blocks, securing the blocking total and 18 or more digs per set in the same match for the fourth time this season.
Pacing the Upstate backline, junior libero
Julia Gladhill tallied her 12
th double-digit dig match of the season, scooping up a team-best 16 balls. She was joined in double-figures by junior outside hitter
Ashleigh Nicoll who dug up 13 balls, collecting her ninth match with 10-plus digs this season. Four other Spartans totaled five or more digs Friday night as junior setter
Kayla Spangler, junior outside hitter
Ali Jansen, senior defensive specialist
Caroline Cleveland, and sophomore outside hitter
Isabella Raciunas picked up eight, seven, five, and five digs, respectively.
At the net, a pair of Spartans turned away three attack attempts as senior middle blocker
Nikki Deslatte and Spangler tallied three total blocks apiece, each claiming a solo block and two block assists. With her three total blocks in the match, Deslatte totals 243 total blocks for her career, moving into fourth place on the program's Division I era (2007-pres.) career blocks list as she passed Emily Russell Friday.
Offensively, three Spartans finished with five or more kills with sophomore middle blocker
Ady O'Grady leading the way with seven kills, fashioning the total behind a .227 hitting efficiency. Just behind O'Grady was Nicoll and sophomore outside hitter
Savannah Page who totaled six and five kills, respectively, with Page's total marking a season high.
Pacing the Upstate offense, Spangler passed out 17 assists, adding to her eight digs and three total blocks while also landing the Spartans' lone service ace in the match.
UP Next for the Spartans
Closing out its four-match road trip, Upstate travels to another regional rival Saturday afternoon, making the trip to Boiling Springs, N.C. to face off against Gardner-Webb. The match features a 4 p.m. ET first serve.
Connect with the Spartans
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics
Twitter | @UpstateVB | @UpstateSpartans
Instagram | @UpstateVB | @UpstateSpartans
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
