Box Score

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - The Golden Eagles limited errors in their attack to the tune of over 30 percent hitting at the University of Charleston volleyball team swept future conference-mate Urbana 3-0, Wednesday evening.

UC (3-6) slammed 34 percent of their shots into the scorebook to take a 25-19 first set win. The Blue Knights played tough in the first set to knot the game at 13-13 with the teams trading points to 17-16. At that point senior Holly Sabatka (Lone Tree, CO) stepped behind the line to start a service run that would give the home team all the distance they would need on the scoreboard. Sabatka booked four straight points to give UC breathing room they would use to cruise away late for the set victory.

In set two, Urbana got off to a hot start as the visitors slipped away to a 14-10 advantage. Charleston didn't stay down long as they recovered from five early set errors to yet again find their offensive form with Victoria Severo (Meadville, PA) putting the ball to the floor on back-to-back plays behind another Sabatka service run to tie the game at 16-16. The teams again traded points consecutively until at the 21-21 mark the Blue Knights took away their own momentum with a service error that would open the door for the University of Charleston. Severo stepped up with two-straight blasts from the middle that setup the game point, which freshman Katharine Furlong (Sedona, AZ) put away with force for the 25-22 win.

Charleston saved their best offensive effort for the final set as the team committed just one error to hit 44 percent. Malleri Hardison (Uniontown, PA) registered five points for her best set of the evening as the home squad ran away to a 16-10 advantage and never looked back. The last energy of Urbana's offense was used to get the visitors within 19-17, but two service aces by Marisa Grifka (Rochester, MI) gave the University of Charleston just the spark they needed to close the sweep of the Blue Knights.

Brenna Youlton (Chatham, Canada) quietly paced herself throughout the evening to join Hardison as the matches top scorers as they each booked 10 kills in the win. Youlton led the team with a .588 hitting percentage, while she also collected a solo and assisted block. Severo followed close behind the leaders with nine kills with only one error in the contest.

Kelsey Eby (Portland, OR) continued to be the catalyst of the offense with 27 assists with 11 digs, while Ashley Douglas (Amherstburg, Canada) was the defensive leader with 18 digs.

UC hopes to continue their winning ways as they travel to the WVIAC/PSAC Showdown at Indiana, Pa. with their first foe coming in the form of Atlantic Region power Clarion on Friday, Sept. 14 at 5:00 pm.