Liberty Halts Skid, Sweeps UC Irvine

In its final match prior to the start of Big South play, the Liberty volleyball team recorded an impressive 3-0 (25-17, 25-23, 28-26) sweep over UC Irvine, Sunday afternoon at the Golden Dome Invitational in South Bend, Ind. The Lady Flames matched a season high with 12 blocks, while recording the program's first-ever win over a Division I volleyball team from California.

Liberty had dropped four straight contests, entering its match against the Anteaters. However, Nicki Scripko (So., OH/RS, Fayetteville, N.C.) helped the Lady Flames control play at the net with a career-high six blocks, including five of the solo variety. Liberty, now 6-0 this season when it records eight or more blocks, boosts its record to 9-4. Meanwhile, UC Irvine of the Big West Conference drops to 5-8. Both squads finish 1-2 at this weekend's Golden Dome Invitational.

The early part of set one featured seven ties and two lead changes. The Anteaters were on top by a narrow, 10-9 margin, before Liberty reeled off nine straight points, seizing an 18-10 advantage. Eight of the tallies came during Jessica Nelson's (R-Sr., OH, Tokyo, Japan) serve, an extended run which was sparked by Scripko and Chelaine McCarty (Jr., MB, Houston, Ala.). Scripko tallied three blocks (two solo) during the surge, while McCarty added three kills and a block assist. Liberty was in control for the remainder of the opening set, and McCarty's sixth kill of the stanza put the finishing touches on a 25-17 Liberty win.

UC Irvine posted a -.029 attack percentage during the first set, largely a result of Liberty's five blocks. Scripko totaled four blocks, to go along with three kills and four digs. Teammate McCarty hit .600 during the stanza, aiding in the Lady Flames' .355 team attack percentage.

The Lady Flames never trailed during set two, and appeared to be on their way to a comfortable victory when Scripko's kill made the score 21-14, Liberty. The Anteaters then climbed back right into the set with six consecutive points. Shannan Homan finished off the burst with back-to-back kills, trimming the Anteaters' deficit to 21-20. Nelson stopped UC Irvine's momentum with a kill of her own on the next rally, and Liberty held on for a 25-23 decision and a 2-0 lead in the match.

All four of Ashley Webber's (Sr., MB, Lakeside, Calif.) kills came during the middle set, while Nelson totaled four kills of her own. Defensively, UC Irvine's Devon Sutherland led all players with six digs in the stanza.

The two teams went back and forth throughout the third set, with the lead changing hands six times. A Scripko kill put Liberty within two points of victory at 23-20. However, UC Irvine did not go down without a fight. Four consecutive points, including a pair of Larissa Nordyke kills, set the Anteaters up with a set point at 24-23.

Liberty setter Kallie Corbin (Jr., Beaverton, Ore.) countered with consecutive kills of her own, making the score 25-24 and giving the Lady Flames their first match point. UC Irvine earned its second set point at 26-25, after Nordyke recorded a kill and served up an ace.

Finally, the Lady Flames were able to seal a 28-26 victory and wrap up their first 3-0 sweep since Sept. 5, by closing the match with three consecutive points. The match-deciding burst consisted of a kill by Scripko, a block by Webber and Brittany Pacella (R-Jr., RS, Reading, Pa.) and an Anteater attack error.

Corbin finished set three with three kills on a perfect 1.000 attack percentage, 12 assists and four digs. Meanwhile, Pacella recorded four kills and three of Liberty's five blocks. Their efforts helped negate the six-kill, five-dig set by UC Irvine's Nordyke.

For the match, Liberty more than doubled the Anteaters' attack percentage, .278 to .133. Four Lady Flames hit .300 or higher, led by Pacella's .444. The redshirt junior finished with eight kills, five digs and a trio of blocks.

McCarty paced all players, and matched her season high, with 12 kills. The Alabama native, who hit .370 with four blocks, recorded double-digit kills for the third straight match in the Golden Dome Invitational. Meanwhile, Scripko complemented her six blocks with 10 kills and 10 digs, posting her fourth double-double of the year.

Corbin hit .375 with four kills, a match-high 36 assists and nine digs. Leading the Lady Flames in the dig category was libero Karyl Bacon (So., Temecula, Calif.) with 14.

Nordyke shared the team lead for UC Irvine with nine kills and added a matching number of digs. Sutherland led all players in the match, coming up with 18 digs for the Anteaters.

Liberty will open its 16-match Big South schedule Friday at 7 p.m., when the Lady Flames travel to Charleston Southern (9-6). Liberty enters the conference portion of its schedule with nine wins for the first time since 1997, when the Lady Flames recorded 12 victories prior to their Big South opener. Meanwhile, the Lady Buccaneers will bring a six-match winning streak into Friday's contest at the CSU Field House.

Schedule

Liberty Halts Skid, Sweeps UC Irvine

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Team Stats

Chelaine McCarty

Nicki Scripko

Brittany Pacella

Jessica Nelson