• Senior Kristin Heldt led the team with 15 kills, putting her over 1,000 kills for her career. She had seven kills in the third set to give her 1,001 all time.
• Senior Kristin Heldt and junior Gabi Mirand were named to the Duke Invitational All-Tournament team.
• High Point is 2-1 after the opening weekend of the season.
DURHAM, N.C. – Senior Kristin Heldt recorded her 1,000th career kill to lead the High Point University volleyball team to a sweep of North Florida in the final match of the Duke Invitational on Saturday at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C.
Heldt hit .520 with a match-high 15 kills to lead HPU to the 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-19) victory over the Ospreys. With seven kills in the third set she reached 1,001 career kills. She is the ninth player in school history to reach the milestone.
“Kristin carried us this match, especially in the third set,” said head coach Jason Oliver. “She came out with intensity and I am very proud of her for reaching 1,000 kills. As a team we pushed through at the end of sets against a very good North Florida team.”
Junior Gabi Mirand continued her consistent play this weekend with 31 assists, six digs and two blocks. She was named to the All-Tournament team along with Heldt. Freshman Haley Barnes finished the day with eight kills, four digs and one ace.
North Florida led early in each of the first two sets. High Point and UNF were tied 19-19 in the opening frame but HPU finished on a 6-0 run to win 25-19. In similar fashion, Heldt had a kill to give HPU a 22-21 lead in the second set and the Panthers finished out the frame on a run to win 25-21. Heldt had two aces in the final three points.
Heldt’s 1,000 career kill gave HPU a 23-19 lead in the final set and forced a North Florida timeout. After the break Barnes and Heldt put down kills to win the match, 25-19.
The Panthers (2-1) will return to High Point for the home opener at the Millis Center on Friday. HPU will host Eastern Washington at 5 p.m.