GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Furman volleyball team swept the UNC Greensboro Spartans 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-15) Thursday evening in Southern Conference action at Alley Gymnasium.
Furman, who snapped a four-match losing skid on Thursday, improves to 8-9 on the season and 2-4 in SoCon play. UNC Greensboro drops to 7-14 overall and 2-7 in the conference. The Paladins complete the season sweep of the Spartans after securing their seventh consecutive victory in the series.
Ashley Stein fell just one kill shy of a double-double after leading Furman with nine kills and a career high 15 digs.
Chandler Parker contributed eight kills with
Grainne McGrath and
Izzy Castelloe both totaling seven.
Emily Navarro registered her fourth double-double of the season on 14 assists and 13 digs.
Quinn Morrissey led the team with 17 assists.
Kennedy Seekford and
Ava Augustson both compiled 14 digs.
The Paladins limited UNCG's Allie Sweet, who entered the contest first in the SoCon in kills, to just eight on .048 hitting. Izora Gragg dished out 22 assists and Chloe Nussbaum finished with 15 digs.
Furman opened the match hitting .256 in the first set and held the Spartans to a .058 clip. Parker posted six kills on .417 hitting as the Paladins broke a 7-7 tie with an 11-4 run to go ahead, 18-11, on a combination block from Castelloe and Stein. UNC Greensboro rallied back to within one point twice with the last coming at 24-23. Stein clinched the set for Furman on the next play with her kill.
The Spartans held an early 8-6 lead in the second set before the Paladins answered with a 13-4 run midway to lead 19-12 following a UNCG attack error. UNC Greensboro cut Furman's lead to 22-20 late but the Paladins closed out the set with three straight points.
Tennyson Gorman recorded back-to-back kills and Parker's kill secured the 25-20 triumph.
UNCG was held to .000 hitting throughout the third set with the Paladins compiling a .212 mark and six different players collecting a kill. Furman started the frame scoring seven of the first nine points as part of a 13-4 run. Castelloe gave the Paladins the nine-point advantage off her kill. Furman led by as many as 11 points twice capped when McGrath's kill put the score at 18-7. Castelloe clinched the set, and match, with her third service ace of the evening.
The Paladins concluded the match hitting .217 overall and held UNCG to its lowest hitting total of the season at .065. The .065 hitting percentage was also the lowest by a Furman opponent this season. The Paladins held a 40-29 advantage in kills, 38-28 in assists, and 65-53 in digs. Furman also led in blocks, 9.0-4.0.
The Paladins remain at home Friday evening when they host East Tennessee State at 6 p.m. Fans can follow the action on www.furmanpaladins.com via live stats. The match is being streamed via paid subscription on ESPN+. Updates will also be posted on the Furman volleyball Twitter page (@FurmanVB).
Admission to all Paladin home matches this season is free of charge with first-come, first-serve seating.
