DUE WEST, S.C – The Erskine College women's volleyball team (3-5, 3-4 CC) defeated Belmont Abbey College (4-4, 2-3 CC) in four sets 20-25, 25-20, 27-25, 25-15 in Belk Arena on senior night on Friday night.
 
THE ESSENTIALS:
Conf. Carolinas Standings | Stats | Scores
Div. II Scores | Record Book | Conf. Carolinas Digital Network
 
THE SERIES
Belmont Abbey still leads the all-time series 10-7, but a Fleet win on Friday ended a three-match winning streak for the Crusaders in the series.

THE MATCH
Set 1: A pair of kills from Jauhna Smith helped the Fleet jump out to an early 8-6 lead in the opening set. The Fleet maintained that lead until Belmont Abbey won five straight points to take a 16-13 lead as the Crusaders pulled away late for a 25-20 victory in Set 1.
 
Set 2: The Crusaders built on that momentum, winning the first five points and six of the first seven as Erskine dug themselves an early hole. Erskine trailed by as many as six, but came roaring back as kills from Katy Torgerson and Kaile Tuisamatatele fueled a 5-0 Fleet run, and took their first lead at 19-18 on a Smith kill. Smith added three more kills as the Fleet finished a comeback win in Set 2 by a score of 25-20.
 
Set 3: The third set was a classic from the outset as both teams led in the first seven points of the set. Neither team led by more than three points until the Fleet won four straight points behind kills from Torgerson and Makenzie Kinne as the Fleet took an 18-15 lead. Belmont Abbey responded by winning four straight points of their own and regained the lead at 21-20. But, kills from a pair of seniors, Reilly Bartlett and Rebecca Massengill put Erskine back in front at 24-22, with two set points. The Crusaders won both set points and another one at 25-24, but a Torgerson kill sealed a 27-25 win in Set 3 for the Fleet.

Set 4: Five different Erskine players tallied a kill in the early stages of the fourth set as the Fleet jumped out to a quick 9-3 lead. Moments later, Erskine won seven of the next nine points and had a commanding 16-8 lead. Belmont Abbey answered with a bit of run, getting within four points, but the Fleet pulled away late and a Torgerson kill followed by a Kinne ace set up a number of match points for the Fleet. Erskine wasted no time as a poor Crusaders' set finished a 25-15 win in Set 4 and a victory for the Fleet on senior night.
 
THE PLAYER
Jauhna Smith had a team-high 15 kills and hit .294 for the match. Smith also led the team in digs (16) and had a pair of blocks on her senior night.
 
THE TEAM
Erskine hit .234 (51 K / 19 E / 137 TA),and had nine blocks to Belmont Abbey's four.
 
WHAT'S NEXT? 
The Fleet have a week off before they take on Lees-McRae (6-4, 3-3 CC) on the road at 5:00 p.m. next Friday. The Bobcats lead the all-time series 12-9 and have won three of the last four meetings.
 
First serve with the Hawks is set for 2 p.m.

MORE ABOUT THE ERSKINE COLLEGE FLYING FLEET

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