CHARLESTON, S.C. --- College of Charleston hit an efficient .356 en route to a 3-0 sweep (25-20, 27-25, 25-19) of Hofstra Saturday led by the trio of
Sopheea Mink (15 kills hitting .500),
Lexi Wierzbicki (12 kills) and
Anna Smith (11 kills hitting .500).
Â
After Charleston took the first set it was looking like the Pride would answer back and tie the match at 1-all, but the Cougars fought back from a 24-21 deficit and staved-off four set points to steal the second 27-25 and claim a 2-0 lead. Momentum would stay with the Cougars from there breaking open a 5-0 lead in the third before closing the match with three of the final four points.
Â
Hofstra was led by 19 kills from Yagmur Cinel and a pair of aces from both Cinel and Chiara Cucco, but the Cougars forced 15 errors and blocked six attempts while committing just nine of their own.
Â
QUICK SETS
Final Score: Charleston 3, Hofstra 0 (25-20, 27-25, 25-19)
Location: TD Arena
Records: Charleston (11-15, 8-7 CAA), Hofstra (18-8, 8-7 CAA)
Â
Turning Point
Facing a 24-21 deficit in the second set Charleston fought off four set points to claim a 27-25 win and 2-0 lead before closing the match in three sets.
Â
Key Cougars
- Sopheea Mink put down a team-best 15 kills on just 28 swings, committing just one error for a .500 attack percentage.
- Anna Smith had a career-best efficiency day putting down 11 kills on 22 swings for a .500 mark as well.
- Emma Appleman secured her fifth double-double of the season and 19th of her career with 37 assists and 11 digs. Her 27 assists were the most by a single Charleston setter in a sweep this season.
- Lexi Wierzbicki had her seventh double-double of the season with 12 kills and 10 digs.
- Sofie Vogel (4), Mink (30 and Smith (2) all added multiple blocks as the Cougars had six as a team.
- Tynley Smeltzer had 11 digs and added two service aces, her final one ending the match. Chandler Manusky added seven digs and had a service ace in the sweep.
Match Notes
- Charleston's Sopheea Mink and Anna Smith were the first duo to both hit .500 in a match this season. They are also the first to hit .500 with at least 15 attempts since Emma Falk hit .619 versus North Carolina A&T last season.
- Lexi Wierzbicki (12 kills, 10 digs) and Emma Appleman (37 assists, 12 digs) recorded a double-double together for the third time this season. Saturday was Wierzbicki's seventh this fall and Appleman's fifth.
- Charleston hit .356 in the sweep, their second-best mark of the season and highest in CAA play. Saturday was also the second time the Cougars hit .350 in a match after a .398 mark against Le Moyne in the nonconference.
- Charleston extended their home win streak to five dating back to a 3-0 win over rival UNCW on Oct. 7.
- Saturday was Mink's fourth time leading the Cougars in kills in a CAA match after doing it in three-straight against Stony Brook and Delaware.
- Charleston collected their seventh sweep of the season, five coming inside TD Arena.
Up Next
Charleston and Hofstra conclude their two-match series Sunday at 12 p.m. from TD Arena as the Cougars will honor their three seniors –
Sofie Vogel,
Sopheea Mink and
Lexi Wierzbicki prior to the match.