Box Score

ELON, N.C. – After dropping its first set of the night, the Elon University volleyball team stormed back to upend the UNC Greensboro Spartans, 3-1 (17-25, 25-17, 26-24, 25-22), at home in Jordan Gym on Friday night.

The win marks the first time in two years that Elon (12-9, 4-1 Southern Conference) has defeated UNCG (15-5, 3-2 SoCon).

“This was a very good volleyball match tonight,” said Elon head volleyball coach Mary Tendler. “Both teams competed hard and we were fortunate enough to win the crucial points. Our defense came up with a lot digs, especially Lizzie [West] in the third set.”

Seniors Sarah Schermerhorn and Lauren Copenhagen led the attack for Elon with 14 kills each. Junior Caroline Lemke and sophomore Traci Stewart also came up big for the Phoenix with 11 kills apiece. Junior Megan McMahon recorded 42 assists, while Copenhagen earned two of the four total service aces on the night.

Sophomore Ali Deatsch led the Phoenix on the defensive side of the ball with 19 digs. McMahon and senior Lizzie West also defended the ball with 14 and 11 digs, respectively. Lemke also recorded four total blocks, two solo and two assisted. The Phoenix defense kept the Spartans from earning any service aces on the night.

In the first set, the match remained close at a six-all tie before UNCG began to pull away and took the win, 25-17. The second set went back and forth to keep the set tied, 10-all, but back-to-back kills from Stewart and Schermerhorn gave Elon a 12-10 edge. A six-point run, capped by a kill from Lemke, gave the Phoenix a 19-13 advantage. Elon would eventually win the set, 25-17, to knot the match at 1-1.

The third set began in the Spartans favor but the Phoenix never let UNCG pull more than four points ahead. Facing a four-point deficit late, Elon went on a spectacular seven-point run, which included two kills from Copenhagen and one from McMahon, to take a 21-18 lead. UNCG came back to tie the game at 22-all and once again at 24-all, but consecutive kills by Lemke and Schermerhorn allowed Elon to take the third set, 26-24.

Elon jumped out to a 10-4 lead in the fourth set after capitalizing on several UNCG errors. The Phoenix maintained its six-point lead until the Spartans pulled within two points at 17-15. Despite UNCG’s attempt to send match into a deciding fifth set, Elon remained focused and scored three of the last four points to take the set, 25-22, and the 3-1 match victory.

Elon will return to action tomorrow night against Furman for a 6 p.m. match in Jordan Gym.