UNCP is currently second in the Conference Carolina.with a record of 6-1. Prior to their first loss of the season, UNCP was tied for first in the conference with rival Francis Marion. PN Photo/Mahala Treish
By: Dakota Banks, Reporter
The UNCP Braves took on the Chowan Hawks on Sept. 24, at the Lumbee Guaranty Banks Court. The Braves earned their sixth straight win against the Hawks in three perfect sets (25-19, 25-22, 25-18).
The Braves came to this game strong, registering 46 kills to Chowan’s 32. They also rallied a hitting percentage of 0.199 to the Hawks 0.098. The Braves tore away a lead of 44-31 in assists, but both teams shared an even score of 18 in errors.
The Braves came out strong on their home court stacking up an easy lead. They tallied 8 out of the first 10 points in the match, estab- lishing their dominance towards the Hawks. The Hawks fought back and tacked up three straight points leading to a 5-point difference in points (23-18).
Kaila Crowder made a kill that set the Braves up for a set point opportunity, which was finished off by Brianna Warren.
“I felt like we started off strong and fin- ished even stronger,” Elise Martin said.
In the second set, with Chowan tailing by as many as five points, they decided to put the Braves on their toes. The Hawks tallied up a late 21-20 lead, which was easily overtaken by a kill from Shannon Skryd, and an ill-timed ball-handling error.
After Chowan tied the score back up, Crowder set off two straight kills that elimi- nated the threat that the Hawks tried to instill.
The Hawks took a strong lead in the third set, threatening to force a fourth. The Braves accepted this, and decided it was time to end the game.
The Hawks led the set with an 8-1 lead, which was quickly denied, when the Braves tallied up an eight point advantage leading to a 15-11 lead, after a kill by Morgan Gibbs.
The Braves then hit the cruise and finished the game out, with a solid victory.
For UNCP Shannon Skryd led with 12 kills, with Brianna Warren, and Kaila Crowder
following behind with ten and nine. Elise Martin (#11) led with twenty-one digs, with Shannon Skryd and Katie Pressley following behind with twenty and eleven.
Brianna Warren pulled away with four blocks, with Erin O’Donnell, and Shannon Skryd following behind with one each.
“I feel like we played the ball better with every touchback,” Pressley said.
When asked, multiple players from the team felt that their strongest points in the game were their serving, defense and stamina. Even being tired out they never stopped cheer- ing each other on and kept their guard up.
This victory means the team has won all nine games against Chowan, including 6 of 9 games at home.
Since this victory the Braves defeated Barton College, lost to Emmanuel College and Erskine College.
The Braves are now 13-6 overall, and 6-1 in conference play.