PEMBROKE – Three Braves logged double-digit kills and a quintet had at least 10 digs in the nightcap against Lenoir-Rhyne, but a decisive fifth set did not go the way of the UNC Pembroke volleyball team after the Black & Gold dropped a straight-set match to Shaw earlier in the morning on day one of the UNCP Invitational. 

MATCH 1
Score: UNC Pembroke 0, Shaw 3 (25-27, 23-25, 15-25)
Records: UNC Pembroke (1-4); Shaw (1-4)
Location: Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court

HOW IT HAPPENED
Box Score/Play-by-Play

FIRST SET
-Shaw jumped out to an early 6-2 lead, but the Braves battled back and used a 3-0 run, capped off by a block by Raven Oates and Brianna Warren, to pull within one point at 8-7.
-After the Bears went up 17-11 on a UNCP attack error, the Black & Gold scored seven of the next eight points to knot the set at 18-18.
-UNCP staved off four set points, but Shaw used a kill and a block back-to-back to win the set, 27-25.

SECOND SET
-The largest lead of the set came when the Bears used a 3-0 run to grab a 17-13 edge, but UNCP answered with five-straight point to take an 18-17 lead.
-Shaw won the next three rallies to go up 20-18 and the Braves could only get as close as one down the stretch.

THIRD SET
-UNCP led 5-4 after a Shaw attack error, but the Bears rattled off an 11-2 run to take a commanding 15-7 lead en route to the 25-15, set-three triumph.

NOTABLES
-The Braves outhit Shaw .256 to .250 in the second set, but the Bears compiled a .219 clip for the match, while UNCP was at .136.
-UNCP's 50 digs bested the Bears' 43, but Shaw held advantages in kills, aces, blocks and assists.
-Senior Aquia Jones led all Braves with 11 kills, while Shannon Skryd tacked on nine kills and eight digs to go along with one assist.
-Bailee Jones' 31 assists were just one shy of her career high and the senior added seven digs and a block assist.
-Anna Heinz logged 21 digs at libero and also dished out a trio of assists.

MATCH 2
Score: UNC Pembroke 2, Lenoir-Rhyne 3 (25-23, 19-25, 20-25, 25-23, 3-15)
Records: UNC Pembroke (1-5); Lenoir-Rhyne (2-0)
Location: Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court

HOW IT HAPPENED
Box Score/Play-by-Play

FIRST SET
-The Braves took a 4-3 lead thanks to an L-R attack error and held the lead until the Bears used a 6-1 run to knot the set at 19-19.
-With the set tied 22-22, Aquia Jones and April Tankersley each picked up a kill before UNCP converted its second set point on an L-R service error.

SECOND SET
-The Bears took a 16-8 lead with a 10-2 run and never looked back, as UNCP did not get closer than five en route to a 25-19 setback.

THIRD SET
-The Black & Gold looked to be in control of the third set when a 4-0 run put it on top 11-8, but the Bears answered with 10 of the next 11 points to grab an 18-12 edge and coast to the 25-20 triumph.

FOURTH SET
-UNCP led by five at 16-11, but L-R clawed its way back into the set with a 4-0 run and pulled even at 17-17 on a Brave attack error.
-The hosts pulled ahead 23-19 with a 6-2 run, but the Bears battled back to down one with three-straight points before a Skryd kill and a L-R attack error allowed UNCP to knot the match at two sets apiece. 

FIFTH SET
-The Bears jumped out to a 4-0 lead and maintained that advantage through 7-3, but the guests turned up the heat and scored the final eight points of the match to escape with a 3-2 victory.

NOTABLES
-UNCP's best set of attacking came in the opening stanza when the Braves hit .225 with 15 kills, but L-R outhit the Braves in each of the final four sets, including a staggering .571 clip in the fifth.
-Lenoir-Rhyne's 17 blocks were the most of any team in Friday's six-match slate and Jaclyn Denny had 11 to her credit (10 assist, one solo).
-Bailee Jones bettered her previous career high in assists by 10 with 41 handouts and the senior tacked on 12 digs for her 12th-career double-double.
-Skryd led the hosts with a career-high 12 kills, while Tankersley added 11 and Savannah Bean tallied 10 for a new career best. Skryd complemented her kills with 12 digs for the first double-double of her young career.
-Heinz logged 16 digs at libero, while Farr (13), Bailee Jones (12), Skryd (12) and Raven Oates (10) each finished with double-digit digs.

UP NEXT
The Braves wrap up the UNCP Invitational on Saturday with a pair of matches at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. against Fayetteville State and Coker, respectively. It will be the first matchup of the season between UNCP and FSU, while Coker knocked off the Black & Gold in four sets on August 25 in Hartsville. The Broncos dropped both their matches on Friday in Pembroke, while the Cobras went 2-0 on day one of the UNCP Invitational.