JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Senior Sarah Bower used a double-double performance, recording 13 kills and 12 digs, to help lead the UNC Pembroke volleyball team to a victory in three sets, 25-16, 25-21 and 25-22, over Converse in the third game of the Carson-Newman Classic inside of the Holt Fieldhouse on Saturday morning.
The victory ended a 24-game UNCP (1-2) losing streak that stretched back to September of 2012. The Lady Braves have now won two-straight against Converse (0-3) and with the win even the all-time series to four wins apiece.
Bower led the way offensively for the Black and Gold with 13 kills and a .310 hitting percentage, while Caroline Pridgen contributed 10 more kills to the winning effort. The Lady Braves outhit the Valkyries, 40-21. Sabrina Gonzalez dished out a game-high 32 assists, and Cecilia Brandon tallied four block assists to add to UNCP's seven total team blocks. Converse got a team-best four kills from Samantha Haynes and three kills apiece from four different people. The Valkyries edged UNCP in service aces, finishing with six aces to the Lady Braves' five.
"We bounced back from yesterday by doing the necessary things to win. We changed up the lineup a bit and that seemed to work better for us. Our blocking and our attacking were on, and we had some people step up for us and that's why we were successful," said UNCP head coach Angie Byrd. "One of our freshmen, Caroline Pridgen really stepped up and did a great job, as well as Sabrina Gonzalez distributing the ball. Tusculum is a tough team so we'll need to keep our intensity up to be able to hang with them."
UNCP jumped out to a quick 6-1 lead in the first set after three-straight kills from Bower and a five-point serving run from Gonzalez. The Lady Braves remained on top of the Valkyries for the entire set, leading by as much as 10 at 23-14. Converse saw its first lead of the game in the second set after a kill from Meg Taylor put the Valkyries on top, 11-10. UNCP answered back as Marissa Baker sparked an offensive surge, serving up three-straight points. Pridgen slammed down a kill for set point, giving the Lady Braves a 2-0 advantage heading into the third set.
Despite getting down early, 10-6, UNCP used back-to-back kills from Brandon and Baker, as well as a Converse mistake to tie things up at 10-10. The Valkyries kept the final set close, with neither team able to get ahead by more than four points. A kill from Pridgen tied the match up at 21-21, before the freshman carried UNCP to match point with strong serving. An error from Converse would end the match, giving the Black and Gold its first victory of the 2013 season.
UNCP will play its final match in the Carson-Newman Classic this afternoon at 4 p.m. against Tusculum (2-0) in the Holt Fieldhouse.
