Elon University Athletics

HAMPTON, Va. – The Elon volleyball team completed a two-match sweep of Hampton with a 3-0 (25-20, 25-18, 25-14) victory on Friday afternoon at the Convocation Center.
 
The Phoenix improved to 5-9 overall and 2-2 in CAA play, earning its second consecutive straight-set victory over the Pirates.
 
Elon produced one of its strongest offensive performances of the season, finishing with a season-high 53 kills while hitting .312 as a team. The Phoenix recorded 21 kills and hit .400 in the opening set before adding 17 kills at a .324 clip in the second.
 
Cameron Lanier paced the offense with a match-high 17 kills, matching her season high, while adding a solo block and two block assists for 19 points. Catherine Rucker added a season-high 10 kills while hitting .353 and was also a force at the net with six total blocks, including a solo. Her six blocks matched her career high, previously set against William & Mary in 2024. Anna Sewell finished with seven kills on a .462 hitting percentage, while Caroline Berlekamp had five kills without an attack error to hit .714. April Rice added five kills on seven swings for a .500 clip.
 
Rice and Kayla Palmer directed the attack with 25 and 16 assists, respectively. Lindsey Murphy led the defensive effort with a match-high 17 digs, while Casey Brower added eight. The Phoenix finished with nine total team blocks.
 
Hampton (2-11, 0-4 CAA) was led by Olivia Bryant and Racquel Frazier with six kills apiece. The Pirates hit .075 as a team and were held to four kills with eight attack errors and a -.154 hitting percentage in the third set.
 
THE RUNDOWN

• The teams traded points throughout the early portion of the opening set before Hampton took a 10-8 advantage on a service ace. Elon responded with seven unanswered points to take control of the frame, with Lanier recording four kills during the run and Brower adding a service ace to give the Phoenix a 15-10 lead at the media timeout. The Maroon and Gold extended its advantage to six at 20-14 following an Sewell kill and later took a 22-15 lead on an Rice kill. Hampton made a late push, scoring three straight points to trim the deficit to 23-20, but Lanier stopped the run with a kill before Allie Schultz closed out the frame with another for a 25-20 Elon victory.
• Elon scored the first three points of the second set, highlighted by a Lanier solo block, before Hampton answered with three straight to tie the frame at 3-all. The Phoenix regained control with six of the next eight points to take a 9-5 advantage and force a Pirates timeout. Elon maintained its cushion and carried a 15-10 lead into the media timeout following a Lanier kill. The Phoenix then created further separation with a 4-1 run that extended its advantage to 19-11, highlighted by a Rucker kill, an Rice kill, a Rucker-Schultz block and a Schultz kill. Hampton pulled within six at 19-13, but Elon answered and eventually reached set point at 24-17 on a Sewell kill. After the Pirates fought off one set point, a Hampton service error gave the Phoenix a 25-18 victory and a 2-0 lead in the match.
• The Phoenix wasted little time taking control of the third set, scoring the first six points behind Brower's serve. Berlekamp opened the frame with a kill before Lanier and Rucker added kills during the run. Hampton briefly stopped the surge, but Elon answered with seven of the next eight points to build a 13-1 advantage. Palmer highlighted the stretch with consecutive service aces before Schultz capped the run with a kill. Elon carried a 15-2 lead into the media timeout after a Rucker solo block and extended its advantage to 16-2 on a Rucker-Schultz block. Hampton made a late push to pull within eight at 18-10, but the Phoenix maintained control. Cecilia Christy recorded two kills down the stretch, while Rice put Elon at set point, 24-14. Lanier and Rucker then combined on the match-ending block to give the Phoenix a 25-14 victory and complete the sweep.

 
UP NEXT

• The Phoenix hosts Stony Brook for a two-match series on Oct. 2-3 at Schar Center. Both contests will stream on FloCollege.

 
STAY POSTED
For further coverage of Elon volleyball, follow the Phoenix on X (@ElonVB) and Instagram (@ElonVB).