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PEMBROKE - The UNC Pembroke volleyball team held Flagler to a paltry .075 hitting percentage and fought off several late rally attempts as the Braves snapped a six-year series drought with a 3-1 thumping of the Saints on Sunday in the English E. Jones Center in Peach Belt Conference play.
It was the first series victory for the Black and Gold (9-12, 1-7 PBC) who improved to 1-13 all-time against Flagler (7-10, 3-5). The triumph also marked the first league win for the Braves since a 3-0 at GRU August in early November and put an end to a 10-match league skid. It was the fifth loss in the last seven outings for the Saints who have already won a pair of PBC titles since joining the league in 2010.
Junior Nicole Mathews and freshman Jada Vernon each tallied a team-high 12 kills, while both posted double-doubles as Vernon had 11 digs and Mathews was behind 10. Caroline Pridgen and Cecilia Brandon also added 11 and nine kills, respectively. UNCP out-hit the Saints 50-42 and carried a .166 hitting percentage, while forcing Flagler to commit 30 hitting errors and nine service errors throughout the game.
"What motivated us is that we had not won a conference game yet so it was really important we did win one so we could turn our season arounds," Mathews said. "We got throught the game by being happy, playing happy and having fun."
Setter Sabrina Gonzalez finished the game with 42 assists and 13 digs, as well as three block assists along with Brandon who also notched the team's only solo block. Freshman Kirsten Mills was the leader at the net for the Black and Gold with four block assists. Back row players Ka'asha Jefferies and Josephine Yang claimed double-digit digs with 12 and 21, respectively.
Taja Valmyr logged a game-high 13 kills and was the only Saint with a double-double after registering 19 digs.
Despite being down 14-12, the Braves tied up the score at 20-20 on serving by Brandon and a kill from Pridgen. UNCP proceeded to hold the lead on a 5-2 run using numerous errors on the Saints for the win in set one.
Flagler took set two after out hitting the Braves, but UNCP turned away the attempted comeback in the final two sets and utilized an error on Flagler to end the third set and two-consecutive kills by Vernon to close out the match for the 3-1 win.
