SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Kicking off the new Ingles I-26 Rivalry Series and Big South Conference play, USC Upstate volleyball captured the first win in the series and the team's first conference victory, sweeping UNC Asheville Saturday at the G.B. Hodge Center.
The sweep was a tale of three sets with different beginnings but all with the same result as the first set was back-and-forth, the second saw Upstate jump out early, and the third saw Asheville jump out early. However, the Spartans outlasted the Bulldogs in each set, sweeping the team's conference opener for the first time in the Division I era (2007-pres.) and the first time since sweeping UNC Pembroke on Sep. 15, 2006, to open Peach Belt Conference play.
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 3; UNC Asheville 0 (25-21; 25-21; 25-17)
Records: USC Upstate (8-5; 1-0 Big South); UNC Asheville (6-8; 0-1 Big South)
Location: G.B. Hodge Center | Spartanburg, S.C.
How It Happened
Leading to the team's first conference-opening sweep of the D1 era, USC Upstate continued its strong stretch of matches at the net with a season-best 12.0 team total blocks, the team's third match with 10 or more blocks over the last four matches and fifth total match in double-digits this season.
Leading the team's block, senior middle blocker
Nikki Deslatte turned away a season-high seven attack attempts, being involved in over half of the team's total blocks on the afternoon. Her total follows six total blocks in her last match against North Florida, giving her 13 total blocks over her previous two matches, the most total blocks over a two-match stretch in her career.
Two other Spartans, sophomore right-side hitter
MJ Klaumann and sophomore middle blocker
Ady O'Grady, joined Deslatte with four or more total blocks as each recorded four blocks apiece. Klaumann's total comprised of four block assists while O'Grady collected two solo blocks and two block assists with her two solo blocks tying a career-high.
Upstate's defense stymied Asheville's offense to the tune of a .065 hitting efficiency, marking the fourth time this season the Spartans have held their opponent to a sub-.100 hitting percentage and the eighth match to see the team's opponent hit sub-.200.
Supplementing the team's defense at the net, the Spartans fashioned a balanced attack as all six of the team's primary attackers registered four or more kills. With seven kills, O'Grady paced the Upstate offense, crafting her total behind a .357 hitting percentage. Just behind her, Deslatte and Klaumann recorded six and five kills, respectively, with the team's three outside hitters, senior
Zelasia Edwards, junior
Ashleigh Nicoll, and sophomore
Isabella Raciunas registering four kills apiece.
Directing the team's offense, junior setter
Kayla Spangler passed out 26 assists, surpassing 25 helpers for the 11
th time this season. Captaining the Spartans' floor defense, senior libero
Caroline Cleveland scooped up a match-high 16 digs.
UP Next for the Spartans
Following the team's Big South opener, Upstate remains at the G.B. Hodge Center, continuing the team's longest home stretch of the season as league play continues. The Spartans host Charleston Southern and Presbyterian on Sep. 29 and Sep. 30, respectively, with match times set for 6:00 p.m. ET and 4:00 p.m.
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