Newberry Sweeps Blue Hose in SAC Volleyball Action
CLINTON, S.C. – For the second time this season, Newberry College has beaten the Presbyterian College volleyball team and in the process has snapped their 18-match losing streak. The Indians swept the Blue Hose by the scores of 30-26, 30-24, and 30-18.
The first game was tight the entire match, featuring 15 tie scores and seven lead changes. A block by senior Danielle Gill (Kings Mountain, N.C.) and junior Courtney VanDusen (Peoria, Ill.) knotted the game at 24-24 but the Indians (3-24, 2-8 SAC) would close out the game on a 6-2 run to claim the victory with redshirt senior Jessica Lopez (Madison, Wisc.) notching a kill and an ace in the run. Senior Jessica Lipsi paced the Newberry offense with six kills. The Blue Hose were plagued with 10 attack errors as well as four service errors.
The Indians jumped out to an 8-3 margin in the second game and never looked back. Presbyterian (7-21, 1-9 SAC) rallied back to get within two (18-16) on a Newberry ball handling error. Lipsi continued to be the offensive leader for the Indians as she tacked on four more kills, while junior Cara Coleman (Allentown, Pa.) also had four kills in the 30-24 Newberry win.
Newberry dominated the third and deciding game, picking up a 30-18 victory. A kill by Gill pulled the Blue Hose within 23-18 but the Indians put together a 7-0 run behind three aces by freshman Lorena Maia (Belo Horizonte, Brazil).
Lipsi finished the night with 10 kills and eight digs for Newberry, while Maia contributed nine kills, nine digs, and four service aces. Freshman Niki Hroblak (Lake Wylie, S.C.) was a force to be reckoned with at the net as she picked up six total blocks on four solo blocks and a pair of assisted blocks.
As a team, the Indians racked up 16 aces and 11 total blocks.
Gill paced Presbyterian with nine kills and six digs, while freshman Julie Hollrah tallied 11 digs and six kills. VanDusen ended the match with four total blocks. Twenty-seven attack errors and nine service errors deeply hindered the team’s success tonight.
The Blue Hose return to action on Friday when Presbyterian travels to South Atlantic Conference opponent, Carson-Newman College, in Jefferson City, Tenn. The match is set for 7 p.m. Newberry will also be venturing out to Tennessee to take on Tusculum College Friday night at 7 p.m.