CULLOWHEE, N.C.- Back-to-back victories in the opening day of action at the Catamount Clash, has moved the Presbyterian College volleyball match streak to nine straight games. In the afternoon session, PC defeated North Carolina A&T 30-14, 30-21 and 30-17. In the process of tying a nine game streak, equivalent to that of the 2002 and 2005 squads, the games won streak for the Blue Hose has now reached 13 consecutive.
Yet another double-digit performance in kills, marking the 55th of her career, Lauren Mason tied Justine Lanchester with 10 kills. Mason added 10 kills, while Elizabeth Heineman had a team-high 18 in kills.
Presbyterian finished off N.C. A&T (0-13) in quick fashion, closing out the third game 30-17, following a quick start that set the precedent for the game. Holding to a two-point lead, with Rachel Lewis serving, the junior moved the lead to 9-3 by combining a service ace with two attack errors to provide breathing room that PC needed. Kills by Lanchester and Sarah Parker Mounce moved the Blue Hose lead to 19-11, before Lanchester's service game moved the lead to 24-12. Down the game's final stretch, the combination of three kills by Mounce and two by McKee spelled a 30-17 PC win.
Led by six Justine Lanchester kills, Presbyterian won the second game of the match 30-21, taking a 2-0 lead over the Aggies. After five ties in the first seven points for each team, PC put some distance between themselves and A&T with a 5-2 run. Sparked by Heather Swain and Lanchester's kills, along with Ashley Dunlap serving, the team would extend the lead to 12-9. The pesky Aggies continued to hang around in the game, keeping the game within five points, with PC leading 20-15. Over the final 10 points, the senior Mason carried the Blue Hose with two kills and one service ace, along with two Lanchester kills for the win.
Charging out to an early 14-3 lead helped to set the tone for a game one victory for the Blue Hose. PC maintained its crisp offense throughout the opening match behind five kills by Mason and four by Kettles, while forcing the Aggies into twelve attack errors, would lose serve only five times within the first 24 points of the game for either team. The Presbyterian service game made it easy on front row, amassing nine points on errors among the final 13 scored. Four of those came with Ashley Dunlap serving for the Blue Hose, for the 30-14 first game final.
1 2 3
Presbyterian 30 30 30
N.C. A&T 14 21 17
Presbyterian vs. N.C. A&T Post-game Notes
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The Blue Hose finish the first day of the sixth annual Catamount Clash with a 13-game win streak.
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The nine-match winning streak is seventh longest since 1997, knotting the current team with the 2002 and 2005 teams.
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Rachel Lewis has 67 assists in the first two games (vs. N.C. A&T, The Citadel)
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Lauren Mason had 10 kills and 10 digs, putting her at 12 double-digit kill games in '07 and nine double-digit dig performances.
