(photo - Nick Phillips)
The UNCP volleyball team hosted second annual “Dig Pink” match to help raise awareness for breast cancer research on Oct. 21st.
By Nick Phillips
Asst. Sports Editor
Matt Smith
Sports Editor
Oct. 29, 2009
The Lady Braves volleyball team at their second annual “Dig Pink” game on Oct. 21 against Elizabeth City State University got back on the winning track with a 3-1 victory.
The “Dig Pink” fundraiser raised both awareness and money for breast cancer research and drew a big crowd of UNCP students, many dressed in pink.
The Lady Braves marked the occasion by wearing pink jerseys, and both coaches and officials wore pink ribbons. UNCP head coach Jeff Billington sported a pink tie as well.
The Lady Braves totaled a season-high 84 digs as a team on defense, while offensively they had 53 kills on the night.
Freshman Shay Peterson and sophomores Tiara Anderson and Allie Schneider each tallied nine kills, as UNCP had 11 different players recording a kill.
Freshman Sam Wylie gave out a gamehigh 31 assists for UNCP, while freshman teammate Morgan Ridge added 12 assists of her own.
Senior libero Andrea Laza recorded a game-high 22 digs on the defensive side of the net, while four other Lady Braves had 10 or more digs.
UNCP took a close set one 25-22, helped by Anderson’s kills late in the set. The second set also saw ties and lead changes before UNCP pulled out a 25-21 set victory.
In the third set, the Lady Braves rallied from Elizabeth City set point before falling by a 27-25 score. In set four, UNCP built a lead that would not be overcome, as they would secure the 25-15 set win and wrap up the match.
“Collectively as a group, we did what we needed to do, but we’ve probably played better volleyball. We have to continually work on putting 100 percent effort into everything we do. It’s a W, and it wasn’t pretty, but we will take it,” Billington said.
The Lady Braves improved their overall record to 9-15 and evened their home record out to 4-4 with the win.
Awareness continues
After the Braves’ Oct. 21 win over Elizabeth City State University, the team traveled to Greenwood, S.C., to participate in the Dig Pink Volleyball Tournament at Lander University on Oct. 23-24.
The Black and Gold finished 1-2 in their three matches in the two day tournament, blasting Limestone in day one action, while falling to Anderson and Lees-McRae on the tournament’s second day.
In day one action, the Braves bested Limestone 3-1 (28-26, 19-25, 25-16, 25-21). Laza set a career-high with 51 digs.
Jessica Hartley led the Braves with 16 kills while Anderson added 12 in the contest.
Wylie led the Black and Gold with 29 assists.
On the tournament’s second day, the Braves fell 3-0 to the Anderson Trojans and 3-2 to Lees-McRae.
Against Anderson, UNCP dropped three straight sets 21-25, 21-25 and 23-25 for their first loss in three games.
Senior Lizzie O’Connor led the Black and Gold with nine kills and Schneider totaled 16 digs in the match.
In the Braves’ second game, UNCP lost in a tough five setter 3-2 (24-16, 22-25, 25- 17, 27-15, 9-15) to Lees-McRae.
Anderson led the Braves with 18 kills and Wylie piled up 29 assists in the loss.
The Braves will next be in action Halloween night as they take on conference newcomer Montevallo at the English E. Jones Center.
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