ORANGEBURG, S.C. – The visiting UNC Pembroke volleyball team used double-digit kills from Nicole Mathews, Cecilia Brandon and Caroline Pridgen along with a blistering .371 hitting percentage and seven team blocks to run past Claflin, 3-1, on Saturday in Tullis Arena.
The victory snapped a three-game skid for the Braves (6-20) and brought the series record with the Panthers (12-11) to 5-0 which includes the sweep of Claflin this season. The set scores were 25-15, 25-17, 20-25 and 25-12.
Mathews carried a team-best 16 kills with a .429 hitting percentage along with a team-high nine digs, while Pridgen added 12 kills and a .421 hitting percentage. Brandon slammed down 11 kills to hit .667 as Pridgen and Brandon along with Mckala Bozman each totaled a trio of block assists.
Freshman setter Bailee Jones dished out a career-high 30 assists, while Alicia Paeplow notched 11 for the Braves. The Black and Gold out-hit (51-34), out-dug (31-27) and out-blocked (7-3) Claflin, while also logging 10 services aces compared to the Panthers' five. UNCP also capitalized on a combined 46 errors by Claflin, which included 28 attack errors and 10 reception errors.
UNCP and Claflin paced each other to start the opening set, but the Braves captured 15 of the last 22 points and hit .429 in the set with 11 kills, while Claflin committed 10 hitting errors and hit -.040. Again in the second set, the Braves proved to be too much for the Panthers and took set two with 13 kills and a .375 hitting percentage.
Despite out-hitting the Panthers in the third set, the Braves attempted a comeback after being down 16-6, but were halted by Claflin. Finally in the fourth set, UNCP bolted out to an 18-7 lead and put the game away hitting .417 with 14 kills for the 3-1 win.
Kiara Johnson provided the Panthers with 11 kills, while Bria Bronston contributed 10. Sonia Rosales led the team in assists with 23 and digs with seven. The Panthers struggled with a .061 hitting percentage.
The Braves will return home to Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court inside the English E. Jones Center on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. regional matchup against Coker (4-19).
