Box Score Box Score

HIGH POINT, NC – The Winthrop volleyball team came away with a conference sweep this weekend as the Eagles took down High Point in four sets (25-22, 25-16, 22-25, 25-12) Saturday afternoon at the Mills Center.

The win puts the Eagles at 13-6 on the year and 6-1 in the Big South Conference, as HPU falls to 6-15 overall and 4-3 in the conference.

Winthrop's defense was on display tonight as the Eagles totaled 11 total team blocks for the match. Junior outside hitter Carolyn Weed finished the match with three block solos and four block assists. Freshman outside hitter Lauren Landsman finished the match with 19 digs and freshman libero Catherine Brusie tallied 10. The offense was led by redshirt junior right side Brittany Blackman who ended with 13 kills. Following Blackman was senior middle hitter Becca Toor with 11 kills and sophomore setter Stephanie Palmer with 10. Palmer also dished out 34 assists and was two digs shy of her third triple-double of the season.

"This was a great win for our program," head coach Julie Torbett said. "High Point was only one match off of the leaders and on a three match winning streak."

The opening set was close throughout as the biggest lead for either team was just three points. Winthrop took a three-point advantage at the 24-21 mark and captured the set with an attacking error by High Point's Courtney Johnk, winning 25-22. The Eagles finished the set with 14 kills and a .244 hitting percentage.

Winthrop continued to pressure in the second set as the Eagles jumped out to a 16-6 lead, forcing the Panthers to regroup. The defense was the advantage as Winthrop tallied four blocks and forced High Point to commit nine errors in the set. The Eagles took the second set, 25-16. Winthrop closed out the set with 12 kills and a .267 hitting percentage.

The third set started well for the Panthers as they took their largest lead at the 16-11 mark. The Eagles bounced back in the set and forced a tie at the 20-20 mark, but Winthrop could not close out the set, falling 25-22. Blackman finished with five kills in the set, as Landsman tallied four digs.

The Eagles controlled the final set as they took a lead at the 2-1 mark and never would give that up. Winthrop cruised to win the set and the match, 25-12. High Point could only manage six kills for the set and Winthrop forced the Panthers into six errors for the set.

Not a single High Point finished the match with double-digit kills, but two players finished with nine as Chelsea Davis and Michelle Chakirelis paced the Panthers. Defensively, HPU was led by Molly Barlow who tallied 19 digs.

"Brittany Blackman had a nice match," Torbett said. "Landsman had a good defensive effort and Becca (Toor), (Carolyn) Weed and Stephanie (Palmer) were consistent this weekend."

The Eagles will be back at home on Friday, Oct. 21 against the Liberty Flames. That match is set for 7 p.m.