CLINTON, S.C.?The Presbyterian College volleyball team ended its four match home stand with a 3-2 loss to UNC Asheville. In the last home match of the season, PC was unable to convert a 2-0 lead and eventually dropped the match 25-22, 25-20, 19-25, 23-25, 12-15.
Senior Justine Lanchester (Downs, Ill./Tri-Valley) led the Blue Hose with a 10 kills off of a match-high .364 hitting percentage. She also contributed four blocks, two of them solo rejections. Heather Swain (Woodruff, S.C./Southside Christian) and Lisa Shelley (Columbia, S.C./Blythewood) each recorded 15 kills and Kelsey McKee (Greenville, S.C./Eastside) had 14. The PC defense collected 92 digs to Asheville's 81, with four players in double-digit digs.
PC controlled the first two sets, going on a 5-0 run to end the first set 25-22 and outscoring Asheville 5-2 to end the second at 25-20. The Bulldogs responded after the break, mounting a rally that would eventually even the match at two sets apiece. After the Blue Hose were held to a .000 hitting percentage in the third set, both teams battled through a fourth set that saw ties at 7-7 and 14-14 before Asheville took a 19-23 advantage and won the set 25-23.
In the deciding fifth set, Asheville jumped out early and took a 4-2 lead off of a kill by Kelsey Benorden. Despite the Bulldogs holding leads at 8-4 and 10-5, PC fought back to within two points at 12-10 off a kill by Swain. After Asheville sided out, Swain delivered another kill to keep the Bulldogs to only a two point advantage at 13-11. Asheville was able to hold off the late push by the Blue Hose, however, and took the set and match 15-12.
Asheville was lead by Kelsey Benorden's 16 kills and Raquel Miotto's 32 digs. Cindi Miller chipped in 13 kills in the match. The Bulldogs advance to 8-6 in conference play and 16-11 overall.
PC now stands at 6-8 in Big South action and drops to 10-18 overall on the season. The Blue Hose hold a 5-4 home record, including wins over Big South foes Winthrop and Liberty at the Templeton Center.
The Blue Hose take to the road on Nov. 14 and 15 for their last two conference matches of the season. PC takes on Charleston Southern at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, and Coastal Carolina on Saturday at 1 p.m.
