Tuesday, November 11, 2008

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (Nov. 11, 2008) - The ETSU volleyball team held on to defeat USC Upstate on the road Tuesday night in five sets at the G.B. Hodge Center in Spartanburg, S.C., 3-2 (23-25, 25-20, 33-31, 22-25, 15-9).

"We out dug their team tonight," said head coach Lindsey Devine. "We passed quite well and we had a lot of players come up big for us."

The Bucs (10-19, 6-13 A-Sun) were led offensively by Erin Ryan (Davie, Fla.) as she tallied a career high 21 kills. Lauren Baufield (Plymouth, Minn.) and Whitney Cogburn (Kingsport, Tenn.) both had double-doubles in the match as Baufield had 13 kills and 13 digs, while Cogburn had 11 kills and 14 digs. Jamie Stancliff (Advance, N.C.) also had double-digit kills with 11.

Amanda Youell (Middleburg, Fla.) ran the ETSU offense earning a double-double with a season high 55 assists and 12 digs on the night. Freshman Jen Neice (Allen, Texas) led the Bucs defensively with 35 digs in the back, while Dani Howe (Hermitage, Tenn.) had five service aces.

"Dani had a good night with five service aces, and Jamie was a force in the middle," Devine said. "Amanda did a good job of finding our hot hitters, and Jen Neice had a great game in the back."

In the first set, things were even until the Bucs went in front 12-9, but the Spartans got six straight points to take a 15-12 lead. USC Upstate extended its lead to 20-16 after a couple ETSU errors. The Bucs answered with a 6-1 run to take a 22-21 lead, but the Spartans picked up four of the last five points to take the first set 25-23.

Play was back and forth in the second set until ETSU went on an 8-2 run to take a 19-13 advantage. The Bucs put the set away with key kills from Mallory Kiley (Palm Harbor, Fla.) and Ryan to win the set 25-20.

Coming out of the break, ETSU continued to play well taking a 10-6 lead after taking four straight points. The Bucs held onto the lead until USC Upstate scored three straight to tie the set at 20-all. Play then tightened up as there were 10 ties and seven lead changes, and with the score tied 31-31 Kiley got a service ace to put ETSU up 32-31 and give the Bucs their sixth set point. The Bucs then took the set as Youell was able to find Stancliff for a big kill to put ETSU up 2-1 in the match.

The Spartans got out to an early 5-1 lead in the fourth set. ETSU went on a 7-4 run later in the set to go up 17-14, but USC Upstate went on a 10-3 run to go back ahead 24-20. The Bucs got the next two points to cut the lead to 24-22, but the Spartans closed out the set on a Meagan Healey kill to make the score 25-22.

In the deciding set, ETSU jumped out in front 8-2. USC Upstate rallied back to cut the ETSU lead to five points at 13-9, but a kill by Ryan and a Spartan error made the final 15-9.

The Bucs are back in action on Friday at 7 p.m. as they will host conference opponent Campbell in the regular season finale at Brooks Gym. Please visit www.ETSUBucs.com for more information on ETSU volleyball or any other Buccaneer athletic team.