BOONE, N.C. – Taking the floor for the first time at the Black & Gold Classic against host Appalachian State, USC Upstate volleyball continued to show its scrappy nature, forcing tight sets throughout the morning as the Spartans' defense frustrated the Mountaineers over the match's three-set duration, picking up a near season-high-tying digs per set total.
 
Game Information
Score: Appalachian State 3; USC Upstate 0 (25-19; 25-17; 25-19)
Records: USC Upstate (4-3; 0-0 Big South); Appalachian State (8-0; 0-0 Sun Belt)
Location: Holmes Convocation Center | Boone, N.C.
 
How It Happened
Competing in the first match of the day, USC Upstate didn't let the early start prove a deterrent as the Spartans came out and fought in the first set, seeing nine ties and five lead changes in the set. Upstate continued to battle throughout the match, seeing comeback attempts in the second and third sets force Appalachian State into taking timeouts as the sets tightened up.
 
The Spartans floor defense collected a near season-high-tying 19.33 digs per set on the morning, scooping up 58 total balls as three Spartans finished the match with double-figure digs. The defense also held the Mountaineers to a .183 team hitting efficiency and 31 kills, the third time an Upstate opponent has posted hitting percentages of .200 or lower on the season.
 
Leading the defense, senior defensive specialist/libero Caroline Cleveland—who donned the libero jersey for the first time this year in the third set—registered a season-best 18 digs, finishing three digs shy of her career high. She picked up eight balls in the first set, the most digs in a single set by a player Friday, before adding another seven digs in the third set, her lone of the match in the libero jersey.
 
Junior setter Kayla Spangler finished just behind Cleveland with a career-high 14 digs on the morning, notching her second career double-double. She, like Cleveland, picked up seven digs in a set, doing so in the second frame, while she also dished out a match-high 21 assists to extend her streak of matches with 20 or more assists to seven.
 
Just shy of a double-double, senior outside hitter Zelasia Edwards rounded out the trio of double-digit dig Spartans with 12 balls of her own, as she complemented her defense with a match-high eight kills. Sophomore middle blocker Ady O'Grady and junior outside hitter Ashleigh Nicoll added six kills apiece, giving Upstate three players with five or more kills in the match.
 
UP Next for the Spartans
Continuing action at the Black & Gold Classic, Upstate returns to the floor later this evening for a meeting of the Spartans. The Spartans of Upstate face UNC Greensboro at 6 p.m. ET, closing day two of the Black & Gold Classic.
 
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