ELON – The Elon University volleyball team capped its home slate with a Senior Day victory Sunday, defeating UNCW in five sets (21-25, 25-22, 25-19, 21-25, 18-16) at Schar Center.
 
Elon (7-18, 5-9 CAA) completed a weekend sweep of its in-state foe, outlasting the Seahawks in a back-and-forth thriller. Cameron Lanier posted a season-high 18 kills while hitting .469, and Anna Sewell continued her strong weekend with 14 kills. Simrin Carlsen also tallied 14 kills, while Kayla Palmer recorded a double-double with 29 assists and 13 digs.
 
UNCW (4-20, 3-11) finished with 60 kills, led by Hannah Forbes, who tied for the match high with 18. Lilly Sullivan added 11 kills, and Olivia Heidel dished out 48 assists for the Seahawks.
 
THE RUNDOWN

• Elon jumped out to an early lead in the opening set, leading 11-9 after a solo block by Caroline Berlekamp. A kill from Lindsey Harris kept the Phoenix in front 12-10, but the Seahawks responded with a 5-1 run to take a 15-13 advantage. The Phoenix pulled even at 18-18 before a 5-1 surge by UNCW put the visitors up 23-19 and forced an Elon timeout. The break couldn't slow the Seahawks' momentum, as UNCW claimed the first set 25-21.
• The Phoenix came out strong in the second, building an 11-7 lead after a Carlsen ace. Another Carlsen kill stretched the margin to 17-13 before the Seahawks countered with five unanswered points to go ahead 18-17. After UNCW broke an 18-18 tie with a kill, Elon answered with a 5-0 run to regain control. The Seahawks cut the deficit to two at 24-22, but the Phoenix closed out the frame on a Sewell kill to even the match at one set apiece.
• Elon carried that momentum into the third, taking a 7-2 lead on a Sewell kill. The Seahawks trimmed the gap to two at 7-5 and later pulled even at 11-11, but the Phoenix responded with a 6-2 run to go up 17-13. A Kyla Johnson kill pushed Elon to the 20-point mark and a 20-15 lead, and the Phoenix held steady the rest of the way to win the set 25-19 and take a 2-1 match lead.
• UNCW answered early in the fourth, racing out to a 7-2 advantage. Elon closed within two at 7-5, but the Seahawks stretched the lead to 10-5 before an 8-0 Phoenix run flipped the score to 13-10 in favor of the hosts. The teams traded points until UNCW pieced together a 5-0 burst to move ahead 19-17, prompting an Elon timeout. The Phoenix tied it at 19-all, but the Seahawks followed with four straight points to pull ahead 23-19. Elon fought back within two at 23-21, yet UNCW closed out the set 25-21 to force a decisive fifth.
• In the final set, Elon led 5-4 before the Seahawks rattled off four straight to take an 8-5 advantage at the side switch. UNCW extended its lead to 10-6, but Elon chipped away to make it 11-10, forcing a Seahawks timeout. UNCW reached match point at 14-12, but the Phoenix fought off two attempts to tie the score at 16-16. Lanier delivered a key kill to give Elon the lead, and the Phoenix secured the final point to seal the match and the series sweep.

 
NOTES AND STATS

• The Phoenix honored its three-member senior class of Carlsen, Harris and Clara Simmons before the match. Harris tied her career high with 10 kills and hit .450.
• Palmer earned her fourth double-double of the season, while Carlsen finished one dig shy of one with nine.
• Casey Brower led the Phoenix with 15 digs and added three service aces.
• Elon hit .239 as a team, including .333 in the deciding fifth set.

 
UP NEXT

• Elon concludes its regular-season schedule next weekend with a visit to College of Charleston (Nov. 15-16).

 
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