Liberty University
4-3
Charlotte
3-4
Charlotte Sweeps Liberty to Open Appalachian Invitational
9/11/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Liberty opened the Appalachian Invitational with a 3-0 (25-13, 25-20, 25-20) setback to Charlotte, Friday at the Holmes Convocation Center.
With the win, Charlotte improves its record to 3-4. The Lady Flames' record stands at 4-3 entering the second day of the Appalachian Invitational.
Charlotte hit .355 on the match, compared to .211 for the Lady Flames. The 49ers also led, 8-1 in aces, 4-2 in blocks and 53-51 in digs.
Sarah McDonald led the 49ers with 13 kills, to go with nine digs and two aces. Semen Sen scored 10 kills, while Britney Leigh Held dished out a match-high 36 assists. Shelby Green contributed 15 digs and two aces, while Kaylyn Torain and Sarah Adams totaled nine kills each.
Liberty's Caroline Douglas sent down a season-high 13 kills, while Jade Vorster scored eight kills and Haley Jeffcoat added seven kills. Margaret Latchford collected a season-high 19 digs, while Anna Willey chipped in with 31 assists and eight digs. Michelle Melendez totaled nine digs.
Charlotte pulled away for a 25-13 set-one victory, outscoring the Lady Flames, 11-2, over the last 13 serves. Liberty trailed 14-11 following a kill by Gabrielle Vess, before the 49ers staged their decisive run. Charlotte outhit Liberty, .375-.086, during the opening set, getting five kills from McDonald.
Liberty rallied to tie set two, 12-12, following a pair of kills by Douglas. A kill by Anna Henderson then sparked the 49ers to a 5-0 rally. Later in the set, Douglas brought the Lady Flames to within 22-19 on her eighth kill of the set. Charlotte then took a 2-0 match lead, winning set two, 25-20.
Charlotte hit .324 the second session, compared to .263 for the Lady Flames. Douglas scored eight kills, while McDonald answered with five kills.
The 49ers jumped out to a 17-10, set-three lead. Liberty chipped away, drawing to within four, 22-18, on a Jeffcoat-Sirena Vorster block. Charlotte held serve to win the set, 25-20, and seal the 3-0 sweep. Three different 49ers scored four kills, as Charlotte hit .364, while Jeffcoat's four kills led Liberty, which hit .268 during the final stanza.
Liberty plays twice tomorrow at the Appalachian Invitational, beginning with a 12:30 p.m. match against the host Appalachian State Mountaineers. The Lady Flames then close the weekend's action by facing Missouri at 4 p.m.
