Box Score Box Score
ROCK HILL, SC – The #4 Winthrop volleyball team closed out its 2010 campaign falling to the #1 Liberty Flames in five sets (21-25, 17-25, 25-15, 25-22, 17-15) Friday night at the Winthrop Coliseum in the semifinals of the 2010 Big South Volleyball Championship.
The Eagles close out the 2010 season with a 14-16 overall record, as the Flames advance into the Big South Championship match where they will meet second-seeded High Point on Saturday, Nov 20 at 2 p.m.
Winthrop was led by senior outside hitter Kaley Viola as she ended her career here as an Eagle with a double-double, her fifteenth of the year. She tallied a team high 15 kills and 15 digs. Freshman right side Stephanie Palmer closed out the night with a career high 12 kills. Defensively, the Eagles were led by senior libeiro Kelsey Harrison and sophomore defensive specialist Kristin Cruse with 20 digs apiece. Behind Viola's 15 digs was freshman defensive specialist Carly DeBruhl with 12. Senior setter Kelsey Hall ended her career at Winthrop by dishing out 43 assists.
Winthrop started strong in the first set, scoring the first three points. The Flames then charged back, going on a 10-3 run, forcing the Eagles to regroup. Winthrop fought back tying the set at the 16-16 mark. The teams traded points throughout the set until the Liberty took a 21-19 lead. The Eagles then came from behind and scored the next six points to take the set 25-21.
In the second set, the teams traded points early until Winthrop took the lead at the 7-6 mark. From that point, the Eagles never trailed and cruised to a 25-17 set win. At the point, Palmer and Felts led in the kill category with five and Viola led defensively with 8 digs.
The third set started in favor of the Flames, jumping out to an 11-5 lead. Liberty would hold that lead through the entire set, taking it 25-15. The set loss broke a consecutive set winning streak of 11 straight for Winthrop. The Flames closed out the third set with 15 kills.
In the fourth set, the Eagles went on a run, never giving up their lead till the Flames tied the set at the 16-16 mark. The teams traded points from that mark until Liberty took a lead late and took the set 25-22.
The final set started well for Winthrop, as it took its biggest lead at 8-4. The Flames stormed back, tying the set at the 10-10 mark. The teams traded points until the teams were in a 15-15 deadlock. Then Liberty senior Karyl Bacon served two aces to give Liberty the final set 17-15.
“Liberty did a nice job executing in key situations,” head coach Sally Polhamus said. “They got us out of our system passing and our offense struggled.”
Bacon was the key contributor in the victory for Liberty as she closed out the night with 19 kills on 61 attacks. Kelly Haseman led the Flames in digs with 23.
“It was a great match,” Polhamus said. “I am proud of our team's effort.”
The championship match is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday Nov 20. This will be Liberty's second straight appearance in the championship match.
