Volleyball opens strong, struggles late in season’s first tournament
Posted by The Skyliner on September 2nd, 2009Darius Brown
Staff Writer
The Crusader volleyball team got off to a fresh start in their first tournament of the season at Anderson University on Aug. 28-29.
In the first match of the tournament, North Greenville faced Virginia State. The Lady Crusaders won the match in decisive fashion 3-0 (25-5) (25-17) and (25-13).
Charlotte Swain, junior, led the offense with eight kills and Gabbrielle McKinley finished with 27 assists. Mellissa Ragsdale, sophomore, and Kaitlyn Harris, sophomore, each had five aces in the game while Kayla O’Kelley led the defense with three blocks.
In North Greenville’s second match of the tournament, they played against host Anderson University. The Lady Trojans downed the Lady Crusaders in three straight sets (14-25) (23-25) and (27-29). O’Kelley was a force on offense, finishing with 10 kills to go along with 33 assists from McKinley. Ragsdale had 13 digs on defense.
The Lady Crusaders lost their third match to Mars Hill in three consecutive sets (25-19), (25-13), and (25-20). Swain led the Crusaders with 11 kills and McKinley added 24 assists.
North Greenville finished the tournament with a match against Armstrong Atlantic State. Once again, the team was unable to gain any offensive momentum and lost in three sets (18-25) (20-25) and (17-25). Swain continued her stellar play in the tournament with eight kills, and Kaitlyn Pierce, sophomore, added five blocks for the defense.
“There is no need for myself and my teammates to walk with our heads down,” Anjelica Wilcox, freshman, said. “This invitational tournament should give us motivation to go out Tuesday against Converse College and get a victory under our belt.”
Tags: Fall 2009, Vol. 109 - Issue 1