HPU Panthers Volleyball Sweep North Carolina Central

DAVIDSON, N.C. – The High Point University volleyball team improved to 10-5 on the season with a sweep of North Carolina Central on Saturday in Davidson, N.C. The Panthers got contributions from the entire team to win the match 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-15).

“It was a good team, especially after the loss this morning,” said head coach Jason Oliver. “We showed more intensity and improved on our mistakes from this morning. The team trusted our system and it paid off.”

Seven different Panther attackers entered the match and registered a kill, led by sophomore Chelsea Davis with 12. Sophomore Csity Farus had five kills off the bench in the third set and senior Jamie McDonald added six kills and five blocks.

High Point used a 9-1 run to take the first set from a 12-12 tie to a 21-13 lead. The Eagles closed the gap with four straight points to cut High Point’s lead to 23-18. McDonald and Davis finished the set with back-to-back kills. HPU hit .344 with 16 kills in the 25-18 win.

In the second set HPU stormed out to a 7-0 lead and went on to a 25-15 win. All five of HPU’s attackers had a kill in the frame, lead by senior Courtney Johnk with five. Senior Lauren Bell entered the match for the second set and dished out 11 assists and had one solo block.

Sophomore Chelsea Blanford and Farus checked in to the lineup in the third set and started the scoring for HPU with back-to-back kills. The Panthers again opened up a 7-0 advantage. High Point continued to get contributions off the bench with service aces by junior Marin Seifert and sophomore Molly Hirrlinger. The Panthers won the final set 25-15.

Bell finished the match with 25 assists and Johnk had seven kills. Sophomore Kristin Heldt hit .471 with nine kills.

The Panthers open Big South Conference play on Friday at Campbell. The match begins at 7 p.m.