Box Score

ELON, N.C. – After defeating Campbell in the first weekend of the season, the Elon volleyball team kept from dropping the rematch after a 3-1 (25-18, 22-25, 25-20, 25-21) victory on the first day of the Elon Phoenix Classic. With the win, the Phoenix improves to 10-3 this season, while the Camels fall to 4-9.

"It was a hard fought battle tonight,” said head Elon coach Mary Tendler. “Both teams played some pretty intense defense, which resulted in some really long rallies. I was glad we could pull out the win. We look forward to the rest of the tournament tomorrow with matches against N.C. Central and Winthrop.”
 
Senior Caroline Lemke and junior Carly Ledbetter recorded 10 kills each, while junior Allison Johnson finished with eight. Senior Megan McMahon tallied 34 assists with freshman Chanelle Smith and junior Ali Deatsch also helping on offense with three aces apiece.
 
Deatsch led the defensive attack with 21 digs, followed by Smith who recorded 12. McMahon and junior Melissa Zidar made their presence known on the court as well with 11 stops apiece.
 
With the score at three-all, the Phoenix used two kills by Johnson to go on a four-point run, moving to a 7-4 lead. After Campbell called a timeout with the score in favor of Elon, 15-9, back-to-back kills by senior Traci Stewart and Johnson increased the maroon and gold lead to an impressive eight points. The Camels rallied with a three-point run to cut its deficit to four, 19-15. Elon would go on to win five of the next eight points to win the set, 25-18.
 
The Camels jumped out to an 8-4 lead early in the second set, but several miscues by Campbell helped Elon even the set at 11-all. The Phoenix struggled to take the lead but were able to kept the Camels from gaining a large advantage until a three-point run put Campbell up 18-15. After an Elon timeout, the Phoenix fought back and were able to knot the score at 20-all with an ace from Deatsch. The set ended in favor of the Camels, 25-22, after Elon failed to take advantage a few Campbell mistakes.
 
Elon used the serves of Smith and Deatsch to grab a dominant 10-1 lead to start off the third set. After an ace by freshman Kris Harris and a kill by Lemke put the maroon and gold up by 13, 17-4, the Camels started to chip away at the Elon lead. With the score in favor of Elon, 22-13, Campbell scored six unanswered to cut the lead to only three, 22-19. The Phoenix used a kill by Stewart to hold onto its advantage and win the set, 25-20.
 
The Phoenix and the Camels traded several points back and forth in the fourth set before Campbell managed to take a small three-point lead, 17-14. Two straight kills by Ledbetter and one by Harris would then tie the set at 17-all. The set saw three more ties before an attack error by Campbell’s Jordan Reaves put Elon up by three, 23-20. Back-to-back kills by Lemke would seal the set win, 25-21, and the match 3-1 victory for the Phoenix.
 
The second day of the Elon Phoenix Classic continues tomorrow, Sept. 17, in Alumni Gym with Elon taking on North Carolina Central at 12:30 p.m. and Winthrop at 7 p.m.