Box Score Box Score

CHARLESTON, SC – The second-seeded Winthrop volleyball team advances to its second consecutive Big South Tournament semi-finals after taking down Coastal Carolina in four sets (20-25, 25-16, 25-23, 25-13) Thursday evening at the CSU Fieldhouse.

The victory brings the Eagles to 20-7 on the season and a berth into the semi-finals where they will take on the winner of Match 4 between third-seeded Radford and sixth-seeded High Point. Coastal Carolina closes out its 2011 season at 13-20.

The all-around effort by the Eagles showed as the team finished with 61 kills, a .290 hitting percentage, 64 digs and 10 total team blocks. Leading the way offensively for the Eagles was Big South Player of the Year, senior Becca Toor with 16 kills and .640 hitting percentage. She was followed by junior outside hitter Carolyn Weed with 13 kills and freshman middle blocker Jennica Mullins with 11 kills and a .455 hitting percentage. Defensively, freshman libero Catherine Brusie led the way with 18 digs. Junior defensive specialist Kristin Cruse and freshman outside hitter Lauren Landsman each added 11 digs and sophomore defensive specialist Carly DeBruhl totaled 10. Sophomore setter Stephanie Palmer once again showed how versatile she can be as she finished the night with nine kills, eight digs and 47 assists.

“It was a middle's show tonight,” head coach Julie Torbett said. “Stephanie Palmer did a job setting up our hitters tonight.”

Coastal Carolina came out strong in the opening set, taking a commanding 11-5 lead, forcing the Eagles to regroup. The Eagles tried to crawl their back into the set, but the pressure from the Chanticleers was too much as CCU took the opening set, 25-20. Despite falling in the set, Winthrop found the floor with 18 kills as Toor led the way with five.

In the second set, the teams traded points early until the Eagles totaled four straight points taking a 13-9 lead. The Winthrop offense continued to shine as the Eagles captured the second set, 25-16. At the intermission, Toor totaled nine of Winthrop's 34 kills. She paced the offense with a .692 hitting percentage.

The Eagles took an early lead at the 5-4 mark and kept that close lead throughout the set as Winthrop captured the third set, 25-23. Coastal tried to inch its way back into the as the Chanticleers saw themselves down 19-15, but Winthrop's defense came alive as the Eagles tallied 20 digs for the set.

In the final set, Winthrop came out quickly and never looked back, cruising to take the set and match, 25-13. The defense showed at the net as the Eagles blocked six balls and on the backline as Brusie tallied six digs for the set.

“Our defense was balanced,” Torbett said. “I am happy with the outcome.”

The win puts the Eagles in the semi-finals against third-seeded Radford, who eliminated High Point tonight, as they will be the second of two matches on Friday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. The top-seed Liberty will take on fourth-seeded UNC Asheville in the other semi-final. That match is set for 4:30 p.m.