Sept. 2, 2011

Final Stats

RALEIGH, N.C. - Western Carolina picked up its first win of the season with a 3-0 (25-10, 25-16, 25-11) victory over the Aggies of North Carolina A&T in the 2011 Courtyard Midtown Classic at Reynolds Coliseum on the campus of North Carolina State University. The win is the first for first-year head coach Karen Glover.

The match began with North Carolina A&T jumping ahead to a 4-1 lead in the first set. It was the largest lead of the night for the Aggies. After squaring things up at five, Western Carolina added seven straight points to jump ahead to a 12-5 lead, winning the first set by a score of 25-10.

North Carolina A&T ratcheted up its defense in the second set, keeping it close throughout most of the set before two kills by senior Rebecca Stoltz pushed the Catamounts ahead to a 17-13 lead. WCU would go on to win 25-16.

The third set started off close as A&T closed to within two of a 10-8 Catamount lead. An A&T attack error began a 12-2 run for the Purple and Gold. Western Carolina Freshman Lauren Johnston added two kills in the set as well.

Senior Brittany Lysik - a first year setter - finished her most productive match of the season with 33 overall assists, pacing the Catamounts.

Freshman Caitlin Piechota - playing in her first match for the Catamounts - fell one dig shy of a double-double, finishing with 10 kills, nine digs and an ace.

Senior Rebecca Stoltz added six kills, an ace, three digs and three blocks while junior Abbey Scroggins notched seven kills, three digs and two blocks.

The steady sophomore libero Morgan Cochran continued to lead Catamount defensive effort, logging 11 digs.

"I was pleased with the balance we had offensively," said head coach Karen Glover. "Brittany [Lysik] did a good job of mixing it up and using all of her hitters."

The Catamounts will take on Campbell next in the Courtyard Midtown Classic.