CLINTON, S.C. - Three Presbyterian College student-athletes reached double
figures for kills, but it was not enough as Charleston Southern downed the Blue
Hose 3-1 Friday evening in front of a packed crowd. Set scores were 23-25,
17-25, 25-17, 22-25.
The Blue Hose fall to 9-12 on the year and 2-5 in Big South Conference play.
The Lady Bucs improve to 8-13 overall and 2-5 in league play.
Presley Mabrey accounted for a team-high 15 kills. Andrea Barman posted a
career-high 12 kills while Allison Brown chipped in 10. Kilee Ruppe dished out
a match-high 47 assists. Defensively, Mabrey recorded a double-double by having
12 digs. Carolyn Fabros and Ashley Dunlap each totaled 11.
PC fell behind after losing the first set in a tightly contested event, 25-23.
Head coach Chris Belshe's team fell behind 4-0, but rallied to tie the contest
at 9-9 on an attack error by Amberle Trinder. The home squad took the lead a
point later when CSU committed another hitting error. The Blue Hose built their
lead, 13-10, behind kills from Mabrey and Allison Brown.
However, the Lady Bucs reeled off 10 of the next 14 points for a 20-17
advantage. Belshe's team would not give up, pulling within one on three
occasions, but Amanda Hill put the set away with a kill.
PC went ahead of CSU 2-1 in the second set on a kill by Brown, but it marked
the only time in the stanza the team would lead.
The Blue Hose came out of the intermission playing inspired ball. Trailing
10-9, PC went on a 5-1 run that was highlighted by kills from Mabrey and
Barman. CSU came back to knot the contest at 16, but the Blue Hose regained the
advantage as Mabrey's block gave the Blue Hose a lead they would not relinquish
the rest of the set.
Mabrey's block started a 8-0 spurt. In the run, Mabrey had two kills while
Barman chipped in one as well. The Lady Bucs had three attack errors. Mabrey
ended the set with a smash that split the defense.
The momentum looked as if it had swung PC's way as the home team jumped out to
a 5-3 lead behind a kill from Kettles in the fourth set. The Lady Bucs tied it
a couple of times only to see the home squad regain the lead, taking a
five-point margin at 15-10 on Brown's kill.
CSU evened the set at 17 and the teams jockeyed for points, but the Lady Bucs
took the lead for good on a blocking error by PC at 20-19. Belshe's team was
unable to even the set, falling 25-22.
The Blue Hose return to action tomorrow night in a 6 p.m. match against
Winthrop. It marks the last home event in a busy Homecoming weekend for PC.
