WILMINGTON, N.C. – The Elon University volleyball team won its fourth consecutive match on Saturday, as a balanced offensive performance propelled the Phoenix past UNCW, 3-0. 
 
Six Elon players posted at least five kills as the Phoenix finished with a .348 hitting percentage as a team, its best of the season. 
 
"It feels really good to get a win on the road at UNCW," head coach Mary Tendler said. "Haylie did a great job of mixing up the offense while being a threat herself. For the second match in a row, we were able to be aggressive with few errors. UNCW got better and better as the match went along. They will be tough to beat tomorrow." 
 
With the win, Elon improves to 8-5 in Colonial Athletic Association matches and 11-12 overall. UNCW falls to 4-18 overall and 2-11 in conference play. 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The teams traded points early in the opening set. With the score tied 10-10, Haylie Clark delivered a pair of kills on consecutive points to spark a 6-0 Elon run. The Phoenix never looked back, as the team finished the set on a 15-4 scoring burst to win it 25-14. 
• UNCW held a slim advantage in the opening stages of the second set, but Elon took its first lead at 10-9. Up 14-13, the Phoenix won five of the next six points to take its largest lead of the frame. The Seahawks pulled back within three but a kill and ace by Leah Daniel secured the set for Elon, 25-19. 
• After trailing early, the Seahawks took a lead at 7-6 in the third. It would be their last lead of the set, as the Phoenix responded by winning eight of the next nine points to surge ahead 14-8. UNCW rallied late and got within three points at 23-20 but Elon clinched the set (25-21) and the match with two Daniel kills. 

NOTES AND STATS

• Leah Daniel paced the Phoenix with 14 kills. Elon's all-time kills leader now has double-digit kills in 18 matches this season, including each of the last five. She finished the match with a hitting percentage of .355, marking the fifth time this season she has registered a hitting percentage over .300. 
• Haylie Clark finished with a team-high 34 assists. The senior has tallied double-digit assists in 76 consecutive matches, including every contest this season. She has reached 30 assists in 15 of Elon's matches this year. The Saint Cloud, Fla., native also posted seven digs and had six kills on eight attacks. She has at least five kills in six of the last seven matches. 
• Sydney Love totaled nine kills on 15 attacks. The sophomore finished with a .400 hitting percentage and has hit at least .200 in five of the last six matches. 
• With six kills on eight attacks, Claire Richey delivered her most efficient offensive performance of the season with a .625 hitting percentage. The senior has at least five kills in four matches this season.
• Jordan Gower racked up a team-high nine digs. It is the first time this season the senior has not eclipsed double-digit digs, snapping a streak of 24 consecutive matches with at least 10 digs. 
• Alex VanWestrienen hit a team-best three aces and added four digs. 
• As a team, Elon bested UNCW in kills (45-29), assists (38-27), digs (33-27) and aces (7-2). 
• Elon's .348 hitting percentage is the team's best of the season, besting its previous high mark of .317, which came in the team's last match against Hampton on Oct. 30.  
• The win is Elon's first in Wilmington since Oct. 22, 1980, and improves the team's all-time record in road matches against the Seahawks to 2-11. 
• Elon's current four-match winning streak is tied for the team's longest this season and its four straight CAA wins are the most since the team won five straight from Sept. 17-Oct. 2 last season.  

UP NEXT
Elon plays its final road match of the regular season against the Seahawks on Sunday. First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m.