Due West, SC – In a rematch of last year’s conference tournament championship, Lees-McRae College stifled the Erskine offense, limiting the Fleet to a season-low .034 hitting percentage, to win 3-1 tonight in Conference Carolinas women’s volleyball action at Belk Arena. Erskine slips to 7-6 overall and 2-1 in conference while Lees-McRae remains unbeaten in conference play at 4-0 and 8-6 overall.
The first three sets resembled a championship game with neither team holding more than a four point lead at any time. Lees-McRae opened the first set by taking an early 4-1 lead. Junior Larz Chabra (Mt. Pleasant, SC, Wando High School) snapped the Bobcat run with a quick hit from her setter position. With the score 5-4, Lees-McRae used two Fleet errors and a kill by Taylor Clendenin to grab a four point lead at 8-4. The Bobcats maintained their slim lead until the last stage of the set. The Bobcats committed two hitting errors and the Fleet got two blocks to tie the game at 19 each and force Lees-McRae Coach Wes Schneider to call a timeout. After the timeout, Lees-McRae got up by two on a quick hit by setter Megan Mitchell and a block. Senior Sandra Campbell (Pilot Point, TX, Point Pilot HS) got the Fleet back within one but Lees-McRae forced Erskine into two hitting errors and Megan Epperson put the last point down to give the Bobcats the first set 25-21.
The second set also remained close until the latter stages. Lees-McRae’s Sariah Suryadevara served two aces coupled with another Fleet hitting error to give Lees-McRae a three point lead at 19-16. Lees-McRae closed out the set on a 6-2 run, sparked by another ace by Suryadevara and a kill by Kallai Johnston.
Lees-McRae was unable to put the Fleet away in the third set. The Flying Fleet started the third set with a 6-3 run, ignited by two kills by senior Jamie Murray (Hermann, MO, Hermann HS). Lees-McRae bounced right back to tie the game at 9 each before taking a 12-10 lead to force Erskine Coach Heather Vahjen to take a timeout. The Fleet stayed within two points of the Bobcats until Campbell drilled back-to-back kills to tie the game at 20-20. The two teams traded points and, with the score knotted at 24 a piece, Erskine’s Liz Massey (Greenville, SC, Eastside High School)blocked an LMC attack attempt and nailed the game winner for a 26-24 Fleet victory.
Lees-McRae intensified their defensive efforts in the fourth set, holding Erskine to just 8 kills, while forcing the Fleet to commit 13 errors. Lees-McRae easily won the final set 25-14 behind 3 kills each by Dana Oliver and Epperson.
Campbell led the Fleet with a game-high 15 kills and 4 blocks. Chabra earned her fourth “double-double” of the season with 26 assists and a team-high 12 digs. She also contributed 3 blocks and 3 kills.
Lees-McRae was led by Epperson’s 12 kills. Suryadevara had a terrific night on the back row with a game-high 25 digs.
Erskine travels to Gaffney, South Carolina, on Saturday to play the Saints of Limestone College. Game time is set for 2:00 p.m.
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