Related: Volleyball Wraps Up Florida Tourney With Two Losses
WINGATE – The UNC Pembroke volleyball squad was dealt a pair of losses Tuesday at the Wingate Tri-Match, dropping a straight-set match to the hosts before suffering a four-set defeat to the Flying Fleet of Erskine.
The Braves (0-6) remain winless at the start of the 2016 campaign, while the 10-time defending South Atlantic Conference champion Wingate (3-0) is undefeated in the season's initial stages. Erskine (3-2) wins their second-consecutive match after a 1-2 start to the year.
UNCP posted a season-low .095 hitting percentage in the day's first match, allowing Wingate to hit .393 in the 25-17, 25-8, 25-16 defeat. The Bulldogs more than doubled up UNCP in kills, 41-20, and dug the ball 45 times to the visitors' 30. In a match that lasted just 62 minutes, the Braves blocked three Wingate attacks and the Bulldogs returned the favor five times.
Freshman
Makaylah Elliott was the lone Brave with more than three kills, racking up six.
Bailee Jones dished out nine assists, adding four digs, one kill and one service ace.
Alexis Dunham and
Kiara Price each notched two blocks.
The Black & Gold took control of the match with Erskine in set one, downing the Flying Fleet 25-19. But that lead was relinquished over the next three sets, as Erskine took sets two through four 25-21, 27-25 and 25-15. UNCP had one set point at 24-23 in the third stanza, but the Flying Fleet won four of the next five points to secure the set.
Erskine squeaked out a .204-.185 hitting-percentage edge and had a 52-47 upper hand in kills. The Braves held a 56-50 lead in digs and blocked 10 attacks to Erskine's six. The 10 blocks ties a season high for UNCP.
Elliott added to her team lead in kills, knocking down a season-high 13, giving her 51 in six matches.
Caroline Pridgen continued her run of consistency, racking up nine kills and a .300 hitting percentage. Her .294 season clip is tops on the team.
Bailee Jones put up UNCP's first double-double of the season with 22 assists and 10 digs, adding three kills on five attacks, while
Aquia Jones set a season high in kills with nine.
The Braves will play four more matches this weekend at the Francis Marion Invitational, kicking off with a 10 a.m. tilt Friday against Emmanuel (0-3). UNCP will do battle with Anderson (2-1) Friday at 2 p.m. before a pair of matches Saturday with Barton (0-4) and Newberry (2-2) at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively.
