COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Winthrop Volleyball program had a tough start to their 2022 season as they dropped two matches on Friday.
Winthrop (0-2)
Aug. 26, 2022 | Carolina Volleyball Center
Omaha 3, Winthrop 0 (25-14, 25-22, 25-14)
How it Happened
Set 1 | The Eagles took an early 4-1 lead on a kill from
Karli Shepherd. An 8-4 run from Omaha then gave the Mavs a 9-8 lead. The score stayed closed before a 7-0 run gave Omaha a 19-11 lead. Winthrop won three of the next five points to stay in it, but the Mavs took the last four points and a 1-0 lead.
Set 2 | Omaha won the first five points of the set and got out to the early lead. The Eagles won seven of ten points to draw within 8-7. Eight of the next 10 points went to the Mavs as they extended their advantage to 15-10, but Winthrop used a 5-1 run to claw back within one. The Eagles kept it close and were within 24-22, but Omaha won the next point for a 2-0 lead.
Set 3 | Winthrop raced out to a 3-1 lead, but the Mavs kept their foot on the gas and quickly took a 5-4 lead. Omaha extended the lead to 11-6, forcing an Eagle timeout. Winthrop took four of the next six points to close within 13-10, but a big Mav run gave them a 19-11 lead and they cruised to the finish line.
Statistical Standouts
- Avery Jolley (eight kills, .571 hitting percentage, one assist, one dig)
- Alayna Jansky (eight kills, six digs, three assists, two blocks, one service ace)
- Isabella Murray (22 assists, career-high nine digs)
- Leah Metzger (12 digs, four assists, one service ace)
Sacred Heart 3, Winthrop 2 (17-25, 25-15, 18-25, 25-19, 15-4)
How it Happened
Set 1 | Winthrop took the early 4-1 lead and kept their foot on the gas for the rest of the set. The Eagles extended their lead to 10-4 and kept the Pioneers at arm's length at 16-8. At 23-13, Sacred Heart won four of the next five points to stay in the set, but an attack error gave Winthrop the set and a 1-0 lead.
Set 2 | Sacred Heart won the first four points of the set. The Eagles closed within 6-3, but a 6-3 run from the Pioneers extended the lead to 12-6. Winthrop again went on a run to get within 13-10, but a 5-0 run from Sacred Heart got the lead to 18-10. Five of the next seven points went to the Eagles before a 5-0 run tied the score.
Set 3 | The Eagles burst out to an early 6-3 lead in the third set and kept the margin at three for several points. Sacred Heart closed to within one point at 12-11 and tied the score at 15, but a 4-0 run from Winthrop gave the Eagles the lead for good as they went on to win 25-18.
Set 4 | An early 3-1 run gave Winthrop the lead, but the Pioneers battled back to tie the score at six. Five of the next eight points went to Sacred Heart and gave them an 11-9 lead, but the Eagles came back to lead 12-11. The teams went back and forth until a 6-2 run gave the Pioneers a 20-16 lead and eventually led to a 25-19 victory to tie the match.
Set 5 | The early going saw both teams stay close at 4-3, but the Pioneers won six straight points for a 10-3 lead. Winthrop won the next point as Sacred Heart committed a service error, but the Pioneers won five points to take the match.
Statistical Standouts
- Avery Jolley (14 kills, five digs, two blocks)
- Alayna Jansky (13 kills, 12 digs, four blocks, three assists, three service aces)
- Isabella Murray (career-high 42 assists, five digs, two blocks, one service ace)
- Leah Metzger (15 digs, one assist)
Up Next
Winthrop will take on host South Carolina on Saturday, Aug. 27 at 4:30 p.m.
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