Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The No. 4 north seed Elon volleyball team was not able to pull off the upset victory in the first round of the Southern Conference Tournament, falling to No. 1 south seed College of Charleston, 3-0 (18-25, 17-25, 20-25). The Phoenix finishes the season with a 19-14 overall record, while the Cougars (24-9) advance to the tournament semifinals.
 
“It’s tough crossing over and playing the top seed in the south,” said head Elon coach Mary Tendler. “College of Charleston is a very talented team and they showed that today. Our team fought hard, especially the seniors. You could tell they did not want this season to end. These seniors have accomplished so much and I’m sad to see them go. But I’m also looking forward to the future of Elon volleyball.”
 
Freshman Chanelle Smith led the Phoenix with seven kills, while senior Caroline Lemke recorded six. Senior Megan McMahon finished with 20 assists and a team-high 18 digs.
 
In the first set, the Phoenix took an early 3-1 lead over the Cougars with the help of a kill by C. Smith. With Elon holding a two-point advantage, 5-3, CofC scored four straight to take its first lead of the match, 7-5. After a kill by senior Traci Stewart brought the Phoenix back within two, 9-7, the Cougars managed a 5-1 run to take a five-point advantage, 14-8. Down by eight, 19-11, back-to-back kills by junior Celia Rose Eddy and freshman Danielle Smith pulled the maroon and gold to within six. The Cougars then scored five unanswered to reach set point, 24-14, but Elon rallied with four straight to move back within six, 24-18. The Phoenix comeback would fall short though as CofC earned a 25-18 first-set win.
 
The second set started off close with five ties before CofC scored seven straight to take a 15-8 lead. Down eight, 18-11, the maroon and gold used a block by Lemke and C. Smith and a kill by C. Smith to cut the defecit to six, 19-13. With the Cougars at set point, 24-14, three straight kills for the Phoenix, two by freshman Kris Harris and one by C. Smith, held off CofC for a time before the Cougars ended the set, 25-17.
 
A block by Lemke and McMahon and a kill by Lemke started the third set for the Phoenix with a 3-0 lead. Down by four, 9-5, a kill from Eddy and a block by Harris and Stewart closed the gap to two for the maroon and gold. A kill by Lemke started a 4-0 Phoenix run, forcing the Cougars to call a timeout with the score in favor of CofC, 16-14. With the Cougars holding a six-point advantage, 21-15, the Phoenix scored three unanswered, which included a kill by junior Carly Ledbetter, to pull within three, 21-18. CofC would end the set and the match off a 4-2 run for a 25-20 victory.