Box Score Box Score
CLINTON, SC – The Winthrop volleyball team captured its fifth straight victory and remained unbeaten in the conference as the Eagles brought down Presbyterian College in straight sets (25-21, 25-16, 27-25) Friday night at Templeton Arena.
The victory puts Winthrop at 10-5 on the season and 3-0 in the Big South, as the Blue Hose fall to 6-11 on the year and 2-1 in the conference.
The Eagles finished the match with 41 kills, 63 digs and a .226 hitting percentage. The defense held PC's offense to a .104 hitting percentage, as Winthrop was led by freshman libero
Catherine Brusie with 19. Following Brusie was junior defensive specialist
Kristin Cruse with 14 and freshman outside hitter
Lauren Landsman with 12. Sophomore setter
Stephanie Palmer closed out the match with nine digs, eight kills, and 27 assists. Leading the Eagles on the offensive side of the ball was senior middle hitter
Becca Toor with 14.
“It's hard to come into this gym,” head coach Julie Torbett. “We just had to adjust and we found our rhythm.”
The start of the opening set was even and that continued throughout the set. There were a total of nine ties in the set, but the Eagles were first to make a run at the 18-18 mark. Winthrop went on a 7-3 run to close out the set, 25-21. Toor found the floor seven times to lead the Eagles in the set. The defense accounted for 27 digs within the first set.
“Toor was unstoppable,” Torbett said. “We got a lot of production from her.”
Winthrop took command early in the second set as the Eagles kept the Blue Hose off balance defensively. Winthrop cruised to a 25-16 victory in the second set. At the intermission, three defensive players for Winthrop found themselves in double-digits for digs, as Brusie led with 13.
The Eagles took control of the third set early, forcing the Blue Hose to regroup. Presbyterian College's offense awoke and made a late charge, tying the set at the 25-25 mark. A kill from Palmer closed the set and the match, 27-25.
“It was a nice defensive effort tonight,” Torbett said. “Sixty digs sets an impression.
The Eagles will be back in action on Friday, Oct. 7 when they play their second of five straight road games against Gardner-Webb. That match is set for 7 p.m.
