Box Score

BOONE, N.C. – The Elon University volleyball team ended its successful 2010 campaign after falling to Georgia Southern, 3-1 (21-25, 25-23, 11-25, 18-25), in the semifinals of the Southern Conference Tournament today. Senior Sarah Schermerhorn capped off her outstanding career with eight kills and five total blocks in the match. 

“This has been a very exciting year for us,” said head Elon volleyball coach Mary Tendler. “These players have accomplished so much. We played really good volleyball in the first two sets and then struggled a bit after that. But I was still proud of their efforts throughout the entire match. It’s been a special season for us and I’m sad to see it end.”

Senior Lauren Copenhagen and sophomore Allison Johnson led the Phoenix in kills with 11 and 10, respectively. Junior Caroline Lemke contributed with seven kills, while junior Megan McMahon earned 36 assists.

Four Phoenix players, sophomore Ali Deatsch, senior Lizzie West, junior Traci Stewart and McMahon, registered double-digit digs in the match. Lemke and Johnson both recorded three total blocks to help the Phoenix to nine total blocks. 

In the first set, the first few points went back and forth tying it at three apiece before two-straight blocks by Schermerhorn and Johnson and a service ace by Copenhagen gave Elon a 6-3 edge. With the score tied at seven-all, Elon went on a 5-2 run off two kills from Johnson and one from Lemke to move the advantage to 12-9. After the Eagles tied the set at 17-all, GSU would continue on a three-point run to take its first real lead of the match 20-17. Despite the Phoenix keeping the Eagles from scoring the set point twice, the Eagles were able to maintain their momentum and take the first set, 25-21.

With the score at a 6-5 Elon advantage at the beginning of the second set, the Phoenix used a 4-1 run to move ahead of the Eagles, 10-6. GSU brought the Elon lead down to one at 12-11, but kills by Lemke and Stewart, along with an ace by West, helped the Phoenix on a five-point run to move the score to 16-11. Elon was able to maintain its lead over the Eagles and move the score to set point at 24-20, but three quick GSU points brought the Eagles to within one at 24-23. The Phoenix remained focused and scored the last point of the set off a block by Schermerhorn and Stewart to win the set, 25-23, and tie the match at one-all.

The Eagles used a six-point run to build a 13-5 lead to start off the third set. GSU continued on a 7-2 run to move the advantage to 20-7. The Phoenix then scored four of the next five points to shorten the GSU lead to 10, but the advantage was too large and the Eagles took the third set, 25-11.

The fourth set began with an 8-3 Eagle lead that forced Tendler to call a timeout early. With the score at an 11-3 GSU advantage, the Phoenix went on a four-point run off a kill and service ace by Lemke and a block by Schermerhorn and Stewart to pull within four at 11-7. The Phoenix worked hard, keeping it within a few points, but the Eagles had built a seven-point lead by the time the score reached 22-15. Georgia Southern was able to score three of the last six points to take the set, 25-18, and the match, 3-1.

The Phoenix had one of its most successful seasons in school history finishing 21-14 and winning its first SoCon North Division title. Georgia Southern will move on to play College of Charleston in the championship match of the SoCon Tournament.