WU volleyball heating up as conference play nears

By Brandon McGinnis

The Winthrop volleyball team has gotten back on track, winning their last two matches after previously dropping three in a row.

The team got its sixth win on the season as the Eagles brought down North Carolina Central in straight sets (25-19, 25-12, 25-22) on the opening day of the Elon Phoenix Classic at Alumni Gym.

Winthrop was paced by senior middle hitter Becca Toor with 13 kills and a .435 hitting percentage. Following Toor was junior outside hitter Carolyn Weed with seven kills and .462 hitting percentage. 

As a squad, the Eagles combined for 39 kills and hit .294. Defensively, the Eagles looked to a pair of freshmen in outside hitter Lauren Landsman and libero Catherine Brusie who paced the Eagles with seven digs as Brusie also served up four aces. 

Winthrop finished with 25 digs for the match. Following her triple-double performance against Charlotte, sophomore setter Stephanie Palmer tallied 28 assists.

“I thought (Catherine) Brusie played well with four service aces and seven digs,” head coach Julie Torbett said. “Becca (Toor) and Carolyn (Weed) also had solid matches.”

In the first set, NCCU started off to an 8-4 run, but the Eagles bounced back and forced a tie at the 13-13 mark which included an 8-0 run. Winthrop took a commanding 19-13 lead, and captured the set 25-19. Weed finished the set with four kills and a .800 hitting percentage.

The second set saw the Eagles jump out to a big lead as they never relinquished it and captured the set, 25-12. Winthrop forced NCCU into 11 attacking errors, as the Eagles held North Carolina Central for a negative attacking percentage for the second straight set.

Winthrop remained in cruise control in the final set as the Eagles gained the lead at the 12-11 mark and won the set and the match, 25-22. Winthrop totaled 16 kills and hit .556 in the final set.

“It was a nice win in three,” Torbett said.

In their next match, Stephanie Palmer got her second triple-double of the season as the Winthrop volleyball team won its second straight match by taking down Elon in four sets (25-14, 16-25, 25-22, 25-20) Saturday night at the Alumni Gym.

The win puts the Eagles at 7-5 on the season, as Elon falls to 11-4.

The sophomore setter Palmer finished the night with 10 kills, hit for .526, 13 digs and 35 assists to lead Winthrop to the four set victory. 

Palmer was second on the team with kills tonight as she was behind senior middle hitter Becca Toor with 13. Four Eagle players found themselves with double-digit digs as junior defensive specialist Kristin Curse led the team with 15. Following Cruse was Palmer’s 13 and freshman libero Brusie with 12. 

Freshman outside hitter Lauren Landsman ended the night with 11. The Eagles totaled 51 kills, 65 digs, seven blocks and a .215 hitting percentage.

“This triple-double Stephanie can enjoy because it came with a win,” head coach Julie Torbett said.

The first set saw the Eagles take an early lead, including the largest lead coming at the 21-11 mark. Winthrop cruised to take the opening set, 25-14. As a squad, the Eagles finished the set with 12 kills and a .333 hitting percentage.

Elon came out in the second set in attacking mode as the Phoenix got three straight kills to start the set. Elon went on to capture the set, 25-16. The Phoenix finished the set with 15 kills and a .389 hitting percentage.

In the third set, the teams traded points throughout as the set saw a 22-22 deadlock. A kill from Palmer and two attacking errors by the Phoenix gave the Eagles the set, 25-22.

The final set saw the Eagles jump out to a quick 6-1 lead to start the set, forcing Elon to regroup.      Winthrop never gave up its lead as the Eagles took the set and the match, 25-20. Toor finished the set with five kills.

“Becca returned to her dominant play,” Torbett said. “The team really came together.”

Elon finished the match with 45 kills as Kris Harris and Chanelle Smith each had 11.

“This was a nice win to bring us into the conference,” Torbett said. “With a tournament win and a great road win against a very good team.”

With strong performances in their last two matches, the team hopes to stay hot as they take on Charleston Southern on Sept. 23.