Box Score Box Score
CHARLOTTE, NC – Despite a triple-double from setter
Stephanie Palmer, the Winthrop volleyball team dropped its third straight match on Wednesday night against the Charlotte 49ers in five sets (25-23, 20-25, 20-25, 25-22, 15-11) at a hostile Halton Arena.
The loss brings the Eagles to 5-5 on the season, as the 49ers go to 6-4.
Palmer finished the night with 11 kills, 12 digs and 32 assists, as the defense was the focus tonight as the Eagles totaled 83 digs for the match. Leading the way was freshman libero
Catherine Brusie with 20 digs. Following Brusie was sophomore defensive specialist
Carly DeBruhl with 15, as freshman outside hitter
Lauren Landsman finished with 14. Rounding out the digs leaders was Palmer with her 12 digs. Offensively, the Eagles were paced by redshirt junior right side
Brittany Blackman with 12 kills. Following Blackman was Palmer with her 11 kills.
“I thought (Stephanie) Palmer had a terrific match tonight,” head coach Julie Torbett said. “She set a great match.”
The opening set was very even at the start as the teams fought to the 8-8 mark. A kill by Charlotte's Leah Leventhal gave the 49ers the lead as they controlled most of the set. The Eagles responded late and fought their way back into the set and tying it at the 23-23 mark. Charlotte closed out the set when Winthrop made two attacking errors as the 49ers captured the set, 25-23. Both defenses were on display in the first set as both teams finished with 21. Brusie led the Eagles with seven.
Winthrop bounced back in the second set, controlling it from the 4-4 mark. The Eagles had control throughout the set, despite a late run by the 49ers, 25-20. Blackman paced the way for Winthrop in the set with four kills. At the intermission the Eagles totaled 39 digs and six blocks.
“Brittany (Blackman) had a great offensive performance,” Torbett said. “It's good to have the right side open up like it did tonight.”
The Eagles were the first team to pull ahead in the third set, as they jumped out to an 11-7 lead. Winthrop kept command of the set as it pulled away from Charlotte, winning the set 25-20. As a team, the Eagles had an attacking percentage of .346 and Blackman led the way with four kills.
The fourth set was even throughout as there were eleven ties in the set. The last tie came at the 22-22 mark as the 49ers took advantage with back-to-back kills from Charlotte's Leventhal and an attacking error from Weed gave the 49ers the set, 25-22. Charlotte totaled 16 kills in the set and a .273 attacking percentage.
In the final set, the 49ers took the quick advantage, only this time Charlotte did not give up the lead. The 49ers cruised to take the set and the match, 15-11.
Charlotte was paced tonight by Bianca Rouse with 15 kills, as Leventhal finished with 13. As a squad, the 49ers combined for 62 kills and a .234 attacking percentage. Five Charlotte players found themselves with double-digit digs as the 49ers tallied 72 digs tonight.
The Eagles will be back on the floor when they travel to Elon University to take part in the Elon Phoenix Classic. Winthrop will face North Carolina Central on Friday, Sept. 16 in a 4:30 p.m. showdown, and then follow that up with match against host Elon on Saturday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m.
