SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- The Winthrop University volleyball team defeated USC Upstate in sweeping fashion on Friday, taking the season series against the Spartans without dropping a set.
Paige Bennett posted a team-high 13 kills while
Teagan Sychterz added a team-high, season-high eight blocks, including one solo, along with six kills.
Bennett has recorded at least 13 kills in ten consecutive games.
Giselle Little had 11 kills, hitting .360, giving her 11 or more kills in two straight games. Freshman
Lindsay Langner recorded a season-high 14 digs.
TOP PERFORMERS
Kills - Bennett (13), Little (11), Bowen (10)
Aces - Thatcher (1), Sychterz (1), Torain (1)
Blocks - Sychterz (8), Bowen (3), Thatcher (2)
Assists - Thatcher (34), Torain (8), Cadavid (3)
Digs - Torain (14), Langner (14), Thatcher (12)
SET 1
- After Upstate moved ahead 2-1, the Eagles took five of the next six points on consecutive Bennett kills, Torain kill and a Little kill for a 6-3 lead.
- The Eagles extended the margin to 15-8 on back-to-back Bennett kills, then pushed the lead to 21-14 with a Reece Rhoads kill, a Sychterz-Thatcher block, another Bennett kill and Torain ace.
- USC Upstate responded with nine straight points to move in front, 23-21.
- The Eagles closed with four consecutive points, getting a Sychterz kill, two KeAra Bowen kills and a Sychterz-Bowen block to take the set 25-23.
SET 2
- Upstate turned a 3-3 tie into a 10-5 lead with two aces and two kills.
- The Eagles answered after trailing 12-8, using a Bennett kill and blocks involving Sychterz and Bowen to pull even at 12-12.
- The Spartans moved back ahead 17-13, but the Eagles scored the next five points, with Little and Bennett supplying kills during the run to an 18-17 lead.
- The teams traded points through 22-22 before Bowen and Bennett kills put the Eagles in front 24-22, and Bowen finished the set with a kill from Thatcher for a 25-23 win.
SET 3
- After the teams traded points through an 8-8 tie, the Eagles won four straight on kills from Sychterz and Bowen and a Sychterz-Bennett block to move ahead 12-8.
- Upstate got back within 12-10, but Bennett stopped the stretch, and Little added two kills as the Eagles built the advantage to 16-11.
- The Eagles pushed the lead to 20-13 on kills from Torain and Rhoads before USC Upstate scored three straight to make it 20-16.
- Rhoads answered with a kill, and Thatcher served the final four points as the Eagles closed the set with a Bowen kill and two blocks for a 25-16 win.
NEXT UP
The Eagles travel to face UNC Asheville on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 4 p.m. for their road finale.
