GREENSBORO, N.C. - College of Charleston volleyball earned its 11th straight SoCon regular season or conference tournament championship by ending the regular season with a sweep of UNC-Greensboro and winning the SoCon's South Division with a conference record of 14-2.
The Cougars (23-9, 14-2) have earned a number one seed for the SoCon tournament which begins next weekend on Samford's campus in Birmingham, Ala.
The win (25-22, 25-17, 25-13) was the ninth straight for CofC, and the fourth-straight sweep. The Cougars recorded 10 match sweeps this season.
Senior Sarah Havel reached a career milestone in the match as her nine kills helped her eclipse 1,000 for her career. Freshmen Lizzie Theesfeld and Sloane White and senior Elyse Chubb each notched 11 kills on the match. Chubb was the most efficient on the team with an attack percentage of .625, while also making three blocks. Theesfeld also made 12 digs for her seventh double-double of the season.
Sophomore Taeler Davis made 39 assists, her most in a three-set match this season.
The Cougars hit .295 on the match, while holding the Spartans to a .161 hitting mark.
"It was a great 3-0 win on the road," head coach Jason Kepner said. "I was happy with how we performed overall, hitting for a high percentage and playing good defense. Tonight was a great finish to the regular season. We've worked really hard to win the SoCon South Division and a top seed at the tournament."
Karrian Chambers led UNCG with 11 kills, while Kellie Orewiler led the Spartans with 22 digs.
College of Charleston jumped out to a 9-4 lead in the first set off of Havel's 1,000th kill, but the Spartans reeled off five straight points to tie the set at nine. The Cougars went on a three-point run later in the set to build an 18-13 lead capped by an ace from White. The resilient Spartans battled back yet again, tying the set at 20. A kill from Havel followed by three errors from the Spartans eventually allowed the Cougars to win the first set, 25-22.
The two teams battled in the second set, trading mini-runs before College of Charleston broke open the set and extended a 15-13 lead to 19-13. Chubb had two kills and a block in the four-point run. College of Charleston had no trouble eventually winning the set, 25-17. White led the team with six kills in the set, while Chubb had four kills and two blocks.
College of Charleston used an 11-2 run midway through the third set to go from a 9-8 lead to being up 20-10. Six of those points came on Havel's serve as Theesfeld and Chubb lit up the Spartans defense with attacks from the outside. College of Charleston won the final set, 25-13, on a tip from Havel.
College of Charleston will play in the first round of the SoCon Tournament on Saturday, Nov. 19, at Samford. The match time and opponent have not yet been determined.
