Sept. 22, 2010

Box Score |   

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - The Western Carolina volleyball team fell to USC Upstate in three sets (25-14, 25-16, 25-14) on Wednesday evening at the Ramsey Center. The match was the 1,000th in WCU program history.

"There was a lack of energy the entire match from the first point," said Western Carolina head coach Manuel Concepcion. "If we had a little more of a spark we could have been dominate. We saw some of that (spark) in set two and then they went on a 15-1 run."

The Catamounts (4-10) trailed early in set one, 10-3, before going on a 4-2 run to get the match within five (12-5). The Spartans (6-9) pushed their lead to 19-8 before WCU again used a 4-2 run capped by a Kelcie Randazzo service ace to cut their deficit to nine (21-12). Three USC Upstate kills and a WCU error gave the Spartans the first set 25-14.

WCU responded by starting the second set with a 12-6 lead. After a USC Upstate time, the Spartans used a 15-1 run to take a 21-13 advantage. The Catamount scored three more points on kills from Carrie Minogue and Randazzo and a Spartan error, but it wasn't enough to overcome the USC Upstate attack as they went on to win the set, 25-16.

Set three saw the two teams tied at six before the Spartans pulled away. WCU got within two (11-9) on a Leah Best kill, but the Spartans used a 7-3 run to take a six-point lead (18-12). The Catamounts only score two more points in the set as USC Upstate went on to win its sixth match of the year, taking the set 25-14.

"When we are not in the match mentally, we are not there for service receives and our services," said Concepcion.

WCU committed 16 errors between receiving errors and unforced service errors. The Spartans limited their errors in those two categories, only recording four miscues.

Sophomore Amanda Chaparro paced the Catamount offense with 10 kills followed by Randazzo with six and Minogue with five. Emily Franklin led WCU in assists with 23.

Freshman Morgan Cochran posted a match-high 10 digs while Chaparro and Franklin added five digs each. Freshman Leah Best added a block and three kills coming off the bench.

"Leah Best did some good things for us at the net and offensively tonight for us," said Concepcion. "It was good to see her comfortable with what she is capable of doing on the court."

USC Upstate posted four more digs than the Catamounts (8-4) in the match and recorded a .389 attacking percentage to WCU's .103 clip. Senior middle blocker Katie Downey led the Spartans with a match-high 16 kills.

The Catamounts are back in action this Friday (Sept. 24) in their Southern Conference opener against the College of Charleston at 7 p.m. WCU also faces Bethune-Cookman in a non-conference battle on Sunday, Sept. 26 at 3 p.m.