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CONWAY, SC – The Winthrop volleyball team overcame a 2-1 deficit Friday to defeat the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers 3-2 in the conference opener..

With the victory the Eagles improved to 7-8 overall and 1-0 in the Big South while the Chanticleers fell to 2-8 overall and 0-1 in the conference.

Kristin Cruse led the Eagles with a career-high 18 kills in the victory.  Rachel Lenz also added 11 kills.  Stephanie Palmer had her second triple-double of the season  with 13 digs, 32 assists and a career-high 10 block.  Catherine Bruise led the Eagles with 25 digs.

“I'm proud of the team for delivering a loss to Coastal on the grand opening of its new arena,” head coach Julie Torbett said.  “Kristin Cruse was my hero tonight with her career-high in kills.”

Winthrop fell behind early in the first set 8-3 and continued to trail at 13-9, but the Eagles rattled off four-straight points to tie the set at 13-13.  Winthrop took its first lead of the set at 15-14 which sparked a 7-2 run to give the Eagles a 22-17 lead and the team went on to take the first set 25-22.

Through most of the second set, Winthrop looked as though it was going to cruise to a 2-0 lead.  The Eagles led late in the set 21-15, but the Chanticleers battled back on a 7-1 run to tie the set at 22-22.  Winthrop was able to stave off four match points before the Chanticleers finally put the set away 29-27.

In the third set, the two teams battled back and forth with neither able to gain a real edge early on.  The two squads were tied 18-18, but then Winthrop went cold, managing only one more point over the remainder of the set as the Chanticleers took the third set 25-19.

Winthrop did not go away quietly as the Eagles did not allow the Chanticleers to hold a lead in the fourth set.  Holding a slim 17-14 lead, the Eagles scored five-straight points to open a 22-14 lead and finished off the fourth set 25-21 to force a decisive fifth set.

The Eagles came out very strong in the final set, jumping out to a 3-0 lead which kept Coastal from gaining any momentum.  Winthrop led the fifth set throughout, taking the final game 15-11 and the match 3-2.

The Eagles will continue on the road Saturday at Charleston Southern for a 2 p.m,. contest against the Buccaneers.