Box Score

BOONE, N.C. – Junior Ali Deatsch recorded 11 digs to become the new Elon Division I record holder for digs with 1,375 as the Elon volleyball team fell 3-0 (12-25, 21-25, 18-25) at Appalachian State. The Phoenix is now 16-12 (4-8 SoCon), while the Mountaineers improve to 18-8 (10-2 SoCon)
 
“We had another slow start today but I was happy with the intensity and the defensive effort in the last two sets,” said Elon head coach Mary Tendler. “We just didn’t have the offense to go along with our defense. I think we can build off this match going into our last four regular-season home matches.”
 
After a three-point run early in the first set put the Moutaineers up by five, 8-3, a kill by junior Allison Johnson and a block by  senior Caroline Lemke and freshman Danielle Smith brought the Phoenix within three. However, ASU put together a 10-1 run for an 18-6 advantage. Elon broke the Mountaineers’ run with a block at the left side of the net by freshman Kris Harris and senior Megan McMahon. With the maroon and gold trailing 22-9, a few errors by ASU helped the Phoenix score three of the next four and pull within nine. But the Mountaineer lead was too much for Elon to overcome as ASU won the set 25-12.
 
A kill by junior Celia Rose Eddy, block by senior Traci Stewart and Eddy and an ace by freshman Chanelle Smith got the Phoenix off to a strong start in the second set with a 4-1 lead. The Mountaineers tied the set to take a slight lead, 12-9, but another block by Stewart and Eddy and an Eddy kill would tie it up at 12-all. Down by two, 17-15, the Phoenix used kills from Lemke and D. Smith to score three unanswered and take a one-point advantage, 18-17. ASU finished the set by scoring eight of the last 12 points for a 25-21 win.
 
Down by two, 4-2, early in the third set, a kill by D. Smith and an ace from Deatsch helped tie it at four. Still tied, six-all, the Phoenix used two ASU errors and a block by sophomore Cali Estes and Lemke to score three straight to go up 9-6. A back-to-back kill and ace by Lemke moved the maroon and gold to a four-point lead, 11-7, forcing a Mountaineer timeout. Two kills by C. Smith kept Elon up by three until a four straight by ASU gave them the lead, 14-13. The Mountaineers continued with the momentum off a 5-2 run that put the Phoenix in a five-point hole, 20-15. Kills by Stewart and Lemke closed the gap to four for Elon, 22-18, but ASU took the three final points for a 25-18 third-set win and the match victory.
 
Elon will return home for its four remaining regular-season matches, beginning with Samford on Friday, Nov. 4. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in Alumni Gym.