Due West, SC – After losing the first set 20-25, the Erskine Volleyball Team won the next three sets (29-17, 25-5, 25-22) to defeat the Saints of Limestone College 3-1 in Conference Carolinas women’s volleyball action at Belk Arena.

With the win, the Flying Fleet climb to 14-7 overall and 9-2 in conference while Limestone drops to 11-10 overall and 8-4 in conference.

In the first set, neither team could gain more than a point advantage through the early part.  With the scored knotted at 13-13, Limestone’s Holli Dawson ignited a 4-0 run with a kill and back-to-back service aces to put Limestone ahead 17-13.  Erskine could not cut into the Limestone lead as the they won 25-20.

Limestone continued to play well opening the second set on a 3-0 run.  The Fleet bounced back and took a one point lead at 6-5 on a kill by senior Jamie Murray (Hermann, MO, East Central CC).  The teams continued to trade points with the Fleet retaining their one point advantage.  Limestone briefly took a two point lead late in the set at 16-18 but Larz Chabra (Mt. Pleasant, SC, Wando High School) and Murray each had a kill to draw the Fleet back even at 18-18.  Again neither team could gain more than a one point lead until Limestone committed two consecutive errors to give the Fleet a thrilling 29-17 win in the second set.

The third set started like the other two with both teams exchanging points.  With the scored tied at 3-3, Erskine went on an amazing 12-0 run, highlighted by four kills by freshman Caitlin Bullock (Lexington, SC, White Knoll High School).  Dawson finally snapped the Fleet run with a kill but Fleet continued their astonishing play to win the set 25-5.

In the fourth set, Erskine grabbed an early four point lead at 9-5, sparked by junior Lauren Stewart (Hartwell, GA, Hart County High School) who had a kill and joined teammate Alicia Bragg (Rock Hill, SC, Rock Hill High School) on a block.   Erskine kept the lead until late in the set when Jordan Preville and Emmaleigh Halweg combined to stuff two Fleet attacks to tie the set at 18 each.  After swapping four more points, Erskine’s Anna Butrym (West Columbia, SC, White Knoll High School) served two aces along with a Limestone attack error to close out the set 25-22 and give the Flying Fleet the match 3 to 1.

Sandra Campbell (Pilot Point, TX, USC-Upstate) and Lauren Stewart led the Fleet with 10 kills each.  Defensively, Alicia Bragg had 2.5 blocks while Brooke Dodge (Duncan, SC, Byrnes High School) and Bailey Thornton (Pauline, SC, Dorman High School) had 15 and 10 digs respectively.

For Limestone, Holli Dawson had a game-high 11 kills along with 2.5 blocks and 8 digs.  Setter Danielle Seibert earned a “double-double” with 32 assists and team-high 15 digs.

Erskine travels to Converse College this Saturday.  Game time is set for 12:00 p.m.

Box Score