BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Building upon its defensive effort from Friday night—an effort that saw the defense pick up 18 or more digs per set and tally eight-plus team total blocks—USC Upstate volleyball showed its grit as it earned three come-from-behind set victories after dropping the first set of the match en route to a four-set victory Saturday at Gardner-Webb.
The Spartans' block led the team's defensive efforts as the group at the net tallied 11.0 team total blocks, reaching double-figures for the sixth time this season. Behind the block, Upstate scooped up 77 balls, averaging 19.25 digs per set as the defense combined to average 18 or more digs and captured eight or more team total blocks for the fifth time this season, doing so in consecutive matches for the first time in 2023.
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 3; Gardner-Webb 1 (26-28; 25-21; 25-23; 25-23)
Records: USC Upstate (10-9; 3-4 Big South); Gardner-Webb (9-10; 3-4 Big South)
Location: Paul Porter Arena | Boiling Springs, N.C.
How It Happened
Though Upstate had to fight from behind in each of its three set victories Saturday afternoon after battling back from a one-set deficit, the Spartans never wavered against Gardner-Webb as it reeled off three consecutive set wins to reach double-digit wins on the season with their 10
th win of the year. Adding to the team's defensive effort, Upstate's offense saw three attackers reach double-figure kills in the match, the first time for the team since Sep. 29 versus Charleston Southern.
Leading the Spartan's attack, sophomore middle blocker
Ady O'Grady reached double-digit kills for the ninth time this season, throwing down 17 kills while fashioning a .225 hitting efficiency. Adding 13 and 11 kills, respectively, junior outside hitter
Ashleigh Nicoll and senior middle blocker
Nikki Deslatte rounded out the trio of hitters with 10 or more kills with Deslatte claiming a .269 hitting percentage.
Pacing the team's offense, junior setter
Kayla Spangler passed out 39 helpers for the Spartans as she handed out 35 or more assists in a match for the seventh time this season. Senior setter
Emma McElveen chipped in seven assists on the afternoon, spelling Spangler in sets one and two.
Forging the team's blocking efforts, three Spartans finished the match with four total blocks apiece as O'Grady, Deslatte, and sophomore right-side hitter MJ Kluamann formed the trio, each reaching their totals in different manners. O'Grady claimed two of the team's four solo blocks, adding two assists while Deslatte credited a solo block and three block assists, and Klaumann four block assists. Spangler tallied the other solo block for Upstate, tying a career-high with three total blocks.
Maneuvering behind the block, junior libero
Julia Gladhill captained the team's floor defense, leading the way with a match-best 28 digs, collecting 20 or more balls in a match for the fourth time in her career and the second time this season. Senior defensive specialist
Caroline Cleveland joined Gladhill in double-figures, scooping up 13 digs in the match while senior outside hitter
Ali Jansen and Klaumann recorded a season-high eight and career-best seven digs in the match.
Upstate also pressed the serving game, landing nine service aces in the match, surpassing seven aces in a match for the seventh time this season. Cleveland, Nicoll, and O'Grady led the serving efforts as each landed two winners apiece.
UP Next for the Spartans
Following the conclusion of the team's four-match road swing, Upstate begins the rematch portion of the team's conference slate as it returns to the G.B. Hodge Center. The Spartans welcome Radford and High Point next weekend with a match against the Highlanders Friday and the Panthers Saturday.
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