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Box Score 2 Davidson Box Score
Mercer Box Score
ROCK HILL, SC – Winthrop senior Becca Toor led the Winthrop volleyball team to the 2011 Winthrop Classic by Hampton Inn championship with a career-high 23 kills as the Eagles defeated Davidson in five sets (25-21, 21-25, 28-30, 25-20, 15-7).
Winthrop went 3-0 in the tournament after defeating Mercer in straight sets (25-18, 25-17, 25-14) on Saturday. They also defeated UNC Wilmington on Friday night 3-1. This is the first tournament championship for head coach Julie Torbett at Winthrop.
Toor was named the Most Valuable Player of the Winthrop Classic as she finished the match against Davidson with a new career-high in kills with 23.
“Becca got better as the tournament went along,” head coach Julie Torbett said on Toor. “Teams are going to key on her, but she led us to this point.”
In the match against the Wildcats, the Eagles finished with 67 kills, 79 digs and a .212 hitting percentage. Leading the way for Winthrop was Toor with her 23 kills and a .452 hitting percentage. Joining Toor in double-digit kills was freshman middle blocker Jennica Mullins with 12. Her performance throughout the tournament also earned her a spot on the All-Tournament Team. Defensively, the Eagles were led by freshman libero Catherine Brusie with 23 digs. Behind Brusie was junior defensive specialist Kristin Cruse with 18, junior setter Stephanie Palmer with 17 and sophomore defensive specialist Carly DeBruhl ended the night with 10. Palmer was just a kill away from finishing the night with a triple-double, as she finished with nine kills, those 10 digs and 52 assists. Her performance also earned her a position on the All-Tournament Team.
In the first set, the teams traded points early but the Eagles were first to take a lead at the 4-3 mark. Winthrop never gave up their lead as they took the set, 25-21. Toor finished the first set with four kills to pace the Eagles. Cruse led Winthrop in digs category after the first set with six.
The second set started with Davidson jumping out early, as the Wildcats surged out a 10-6 run, forcing the Eagles to regroup. Winthrop settled in and tied the set at the 11-11 mark. Davidson regained the lead and never looked back and the Wildcats captured the set, 25-21. Defensively, Bruise ended the set with eight digs.
In the third set, the teams were even throughout the set, creating 18 ties. The set went past the 25-point mark as the teams swapped points until the 28-28 mark. Davidson polished off the set with a kill and a block to win, 30-28. Toor finished the set with seven kills.
“Our hitters all along have been getting the ball down,” Torbett said. “They're going to be key for us all season.”
The fourth set started the same as the third as the teams found themselves tied for most of the set. Winthrop took control from the 16-16 mark, as they took a lead due to a Cruse kill. The Eagles never looked back and won the set, 25-20. Toor added to her total by pounding down five kills, as Mullins added four in the set.
The Eagles got off to a fast start in the final set, taking a commanding 4-0 lead. Davidson started a mini rally of its own, but was unable to figure out the Winthrop defense as the Eagles closed out the set and the match, 15-7.
After the match in the post-game interview Torbett stated that she was “very happy to be a Winthrop Eagle.”
In the match against the Mercer Bears, Toor led the offense with 13 of Winthrop's 36 kills and also finished with a .579 hitting percentage. Defensively, the Eagles totaled 45 digs with freshman defensive specialist Lauren Landsman leading the team with 10. Palmer led the way in assists with 26.
“We connected better offensively this afternoon,” Torbett said. “Our freshmen have been trying different things that they haven't done before.”
Just like the previous night, the Eagles got off to a slow start, losing the first three points. Winthrop responded by tying the set at the 4-4 mark. The teams traded points throughout the set until the deadlock of 11-11. The Eagles nabbed seven straight points to take command of the set. Winthrop went on to take the first set, 25-18.
“We tried to get off to a better start today,” Torbett said. “We wanted to put the pressure on them.”
Winthrop started the second set with an 11-4 run, forcing the Bears to regroup. Mercer was unable to do so as Winthrop cruised to a 25-17 win. At the intermission, Toor had eight kills and a .500 hitting percentage.
“Stephanie and I have been working great together this offseason,” Toor said. “We were able to run our offense.”
Winthrop jumped out of the gate quickly in the third set, going on an 8-1 run. The run continued throughout the set as the Eagles captured the victory by winning the final set 25-14. In the third set, Winthrop finished with a .426 hitting percentage, led by Toor's .714 mark.
The Eagles will be back in action on Friday, Sept. 2 when they travel to the Kennesaw State Tournament in Kennesaw, Georgia. Winthrop will take on host Kennesaw State on Friday at 7 p.m., and then will square off against Oral Roberts and UT-Chattanooga on Saturday, Sept. 3.
The 2011 Winthrop Classic presented by Hampton Inn All-Tournament Team
Caroline Brown – Davidson
Tindall Sewell – Davidson
Christi Laite – UNC Wilmington
Caroline Carlton – Mercer
