ASHEVILLE, N.C.
- The Presbyterian
College volleyball team was unable to continue its momentum from a week ago
Tuesday evening, falling to UNC Asheville by a 3-0 score. Set scores were 21-25,
15-25, 25-27.
The Blue Hose now stand at 12-15 overall and 5-7 in Big South play.
Rookie Andrea Barman had a team-high .400 attack percentage, accounting for
eight kills. Amanda Kettles had nine kills while Lisa Shelley chipped in seven.
Presley Mabrey garnered 12 kills. She had a double-double after tallying 10
digs.
Kilee Ruppe dished out 27 assists and nearly had a double-double with nine
digs. Ashley Dunlap recorded a team-best 14 digs and an ace while Carolyn
Fabros had 11. Elizabeth Heieman totaled seven digs and an ace.
Kettles and Barman each posted solo blocks in the losing effort.
Asheville jumped out to a 10-5 advantage in the first set only to have head
coach Chris Belshe's team battle back and pull within one after reeling off
five of the next six points. The last three of the run came from Mabrey,
Kettles and Barman.
Trailing 13-12, PC was unable to pull even as the Bulldogs went on a 6-1 spurt
for what seemed to be a commanding 19-13 lead. However, the Blue Hose fought
back behind Heineman's ace and a kill by Kettles. The squad climbed within
three, 22-19, but could get no closer.
Finding itself down 5-1 at the start of the second set, the squad could not get
within three the rest of the set. The team did so twice in the early going
behind points from Shelley and Kettles, but Asheville continued to slowly pull
away for the 25-15 win.
After the intermission, the Blue Hose raced out to a 7-2 lead. During the run,
Allison Brown and Amanda Kettles had a block, Brown and Shelley had kills while
Dunlap sliced the defense for an ace. The Bulldogs pawed their way back into
the set, taking a 16-15 advantage.
The teams traded points until Asheville went ahead 24-22. Faced with match
point, PC responded beautifully. Barman smashed home a ball before Mabrey's ace
evened the score at 24. Shelley's kill put the Blue Hose just a point away from
a fourth set, but the Bulldogs ran off three straight to end the match.
The Blue Hose return to action Friday evening at 7 p.m. when they play host to
High Point. Due to the early contest on Saturday against Radford (4 p.m.)
combined with a home football game going on at the same time (1 p.m. vs. Stony
Brook), the six seniors will be honored Friday evening for Senior Day.
