Box Score Box Score
CLINTON, SC – The Winthrop volleyball team dropped its second conference match of the season by falling to the Presbyterian College Blue Hose in five sets (18-25, 25-23, 25-19, 20-25, 11-7) on Saturday night at the Templeton Center.
The lose drops the Eagles to 9-11 on the year and 6-2 in the conference, as the Blue Hose improve to 10-12 on the season and 3-5 in the Big South.
Leading the way Winthrop was junior middle hitter Becca Toor as she finished the night with 14 kills. Behind Toor was redshirt sophomore right side Brittany Blackman with 13 kills, senior middle hitter Sara Felts ended with 11 and sophomore outside hitter Carolyn Weed finished with 10. Senior outside hitter Kaley Viola led the team with 13 digs. Senior setter Kelsey Hall posted 31 assists and freshman setter Stephanie Palmer added 15 assists.
The first set was even early, as both teams traded points to the 13-13 mark. The Eagles were the first to make a run as Winthrop went on a 3-0 to take a lead at 16-13. The Eagles never gave up their lead as they closed out the set at 25-18. Winthrop finished the set with 14 kills and an attacking percentage of .385. Toor and Blackman led the Eagles with .750 and .667 respectively.
The Blue Hose took the early advantage in the second set, taking their biggest lead at the 11-6 mark. Winthrop charged back into set, tying the set at 22-22. Presbyterian scored three of the last four points and the Blue Hose took the second set 25-23. Presbyterian had a .424 attacking percentage in the second set with 16 kills.
“We tried to carry the momentum from the first set,” head coach Sally Polhamus said. “We got to realize it starts 0-0 and it's a whole new set.”
In the third set, the teams once again traded points throughout the set. The Blue Hose took the advantage at the 14-14 mark. Presbyterian went on an 11-5 run to take the set 25-19. PC's Presley Mabrey had six kills in the set and a .400 hitting percentage.
The fourth set saw the Blue Hose take another early advantage, but the Eagles clawed back tying the score at 13-13. From that point, the teams traded points until the 17-17 mark. Winthrop then went on an 8-3 run to close out the set at 25-20. Viola totaled two kills and six digs in the set.
In the final set, Presbyterian took the lead early and never gave it up. The Blue Hose finished the set with 10 kills as they took the set 15-7. Presbyterian posted a .500 attacking percentage in the final set.
“We served well tonight,” Polhamus said. “We just let them set that pace tonight."
The Blue Hose were led offensively by Mabrey who had 22 kills and a .326 attacking percentage.
The Eagles will be back on action at the Winthrop Coliseum on Tuesday, Oct. 19 as they face off against Charleston Southern. That match is set for 6 p.m. Presbyterian goes on the road to Liberty on Friday, Oct. 22. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
