Elon Volleyball Wins Home Opener Over Penguins

ELON, N.C. – Off a career-high 48 assists by Sydel Curry, the Elon volleyball team won its home opener, 3-1 (25-23, 21-25, 25-11, 25-17), against Youngstown State tonight, Sept. 2., in Alumni Gym as part of the Tussle in the Triad.

BOX SCORE

Curry’s 48 assists was a four-set and overall career high as she also tallied six kills, five digs and three blocks. The Phoenix (3-1) also saw two double-doubles from Kayla Agae and Kam Terry. Agae led all players with 16 kills and 13 digs and finished with two aces, while Terry posted 14 kills and 10 digs. Three aces from both Morgan Maner and Erin Kelly helped to eight total service aces.

On defense, Maddie Jaudon recorded a match-high 24 digs. Ally Karle helped the maroon and gold out-block YSU, 9-4, with seven blocks.

Sarah Varcolla led the Penguins (1-4) with 14 kills followed by nine from Sam Brown. Brown also posted a team-high 13 digs to fall just shy of a double-double. Val Jeffrey tallied 33 assists and another team-high three blocks.

How it Happened
The first set held tight with the score tied 19 times by the time it reached 23-all. A kill by Agae and a Penguin error gave the Phoenix the final two points to claim the set, 25-23.

YSU jumped out to a 9-5 lead in the second set, forcing an early Elon timeout. The Penguins led by as much as seven, 16-9, before kills by Curry and an ace by Kelly closed the gap to three for the maroon and gold, 19-16. YSU reached set point, 24-19, but kills by Agae and Michelle Klein helped pulled Elon back within three before YSU took the win, 25-21, to even the match.

After the break, Elon used kills by Ebony Scott and Klein, blocks by Karle, Agae and Klein and back-to-back aces by Maner to take a 10-4 advantage. Back-to-back blocks by Karle and Curry and an ace by Kelly extended the lead to 10, 15-5, forcing YSU to call its second timeout. Elon rolled on as a Klein kill closed out the set, 25-11, to give the Phoenix a 2-1 match edge.

With the maroon and gold trailing by one, 7-6, in the fourth set, kills by Curry, Karle and Terry and a solo block by Karle helped the Phoenix to a 6-0 run to take the lead, 12-7. Kills by Klein and Agae and an ace by Maner increased the Elon advantage to seven, 19-12. Back-to-back kills by Jaudon and Agae finished out the set, 25-17, and the match for the 3-1 Elon victory.

Notes
Elon now leads the all-time series, 2-1…The Phoenix matched its best team hitting percentage of .315 since a match against North Carolina Central on Sept. 5 of last year…Terry’s double-double marked the second of the season for the sophomore, while it was Agae’s first of the year.

Up Next
Elon continues play in the Tussle in the Triad tomorrow, Sept. 3, when the Phoenix hosts High Point in Alumni Gym at 11 a.m. before traveling to Greensboro, N.C., to play UNCG at 7 p.m. in Fleming Gym.