ELON, N.C. – It was a history setting night for the Elon University volleyball team tonight as it swept Appalachian State, 3-0 (27-25, 25-20, 25-20), to clinch a share of its first ever Southern Conference North Division title. Senior Sarah Schermerhorn dominated both sides of the ball registering 11 kills for a .429 attack percentage and recording nine total blocks. Elon now improves to 19-13 on the season and takes sole possession of the North Division leader board with a 10-5 SoCon record. With the loss, ASU drops to 18-10 on the season and 9-6 in SoCon play. 

“I’m so happy for the girls for playing well and coming up big in tonight’s match,” said head Elon volleyball coach Mary Tendler. “The crowd was great tonight. They were into the match all night and wouldn’t let us lose.”

Junior Traci Stewart helped the Elon attack with eight kills for a .348 attack percentage, while senior Lauren Copenhagen and sophomore Allison Johnson each recorded seven kills. Junior Megan McMahon set up the Phoenix attackers all night with 28 assists.  

Stewart also contributed on defense with a team-high 10 digs and three total blocks. Johnson recorded four blocks in the match, while Copenhagen and junior Caroline Lemke each tallied two. The Phoenix out-blocked the Mountaineers 12-9 on the night.

“Our blocking was the big difference in the match,” said Tendler. “We blocked better than we have all year and that was led by Sarah’s (Schermerhorn) dominance at the net.”

Elon took an early 9-5 lead in the first set, but a five-point ASU run gave the Mountaineers a 10-9 lead. Elon retained the lead at 12-11 off a kill from Johnson and continued to build the advantage to three points. After a four-point Mountaineer run gave them a two-point lead, Elon was forced to call a timeout. The Phoenix rebounded with a five-point run out of the timeout and regained a three-point lead at 20-17. With the score at a set point 24-21 Elon advantage, ASU rallied off a four-point run to take a 25-24 lead. A kill by Lemke helped even the set at 25-all. Off McMahon’s serve, the Phoenix capitalized on a pair of ASU miscues to claim a 27-25 victory in the first set. 

In the second set, the Phoenix jumped out to a 5-1 advantage off kills from Stewart, Copenhagen and Schermerhorn, but ASU stormed back to tie the set early at seven-all. With the set later tied at 12-all, Elon went on a five-point run that included a kill by Stewart, two kills by Copenhagen and a service ace by Lemke to take a 17-12 edge. The Mountaineers pulled within one at 19-18, but kills by Schermerhorn and Johnson forced ASU to call a timeout. The Phoenix was able to win three of the last five points to win the set, 25-20, and take a 2-0 lead in the match.

The Mountaineers came out of the break fired up and took an early third set lead 4-0 off two service aces by setter Kasey Sauls. A block by Schermerhorn and Copenhagen helped even the score at five-all before four more points by the Phoenix moved it to a 9-5 advantage. With the score tied at nine-all, Elon went on a 5-1 run off three kills by Schermerhorn and a service ace from Copenhagen to move the score to 15-11. With Elon holding only a two-point lead at 16-14, a kill and a service ace by Stewart moved the Phoenix up four points, shutting the door on a Mountaineer comeback. With the crowd of over 700 people on their feet, a final kill by Lemke sealed the 25-20 set victory, the match sweep and a share of the North Division title. 

A win tomorrow night against Western Carolina will ensure the sole division win and the No. 1 north seed in next weekend’s conference tournament. Tomorrow’s match will also serve as senior night for influential seniors Lizzie West, Copenhagen and Schermerhorn. The match is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. inside Alumni Gym. 

-- ELON --