Box Score by Kevin Buczek
WILSON, N.C.-Freshman middle blocker Melissa Cochran (Knightdale, N.C.) spiked a career-best 16 kills on juts 20 attempts to lead host Barton College to a 3-0 (25-11, 25-23, 25-14) Conference Carolinas sweep of Converse College on Friday night in the Dog House.
Cochran only made one hitting error for a staggering .750 hitting percentage helping Barton snap a three match losing skid. The Lady Bulldogs move up to 6-8 overall and 2-4 in the league. The Royal Blue and White have little time to celebrate as Barton entertains conference foe Erskine College on Saturday at 2 p.m.
"She was a dominate player," said Barton head coach Jim Freeman. "She came to play and I thought she had a very efficient match with only one error in 20 swings. Our team played low error volleyball and that is one of our team goals so that was good tonight."
Freshman libero Amanda Grandy (Rolesville, N.C.) made a season-high 24 digs as the Bulldogs held the Valkyries to just a .043 hitting percentage. Senior Meredith Thompson (Henderson, N.C.) and junior Katie Wood (Pasadena, Md.) both chipped in on the defensive end with 10 digs. Freshman setter Meka Hoover (Seagrove, N.C.) had a match-high 28 assists and seven digs.
Converse (2-10, 1-6) suffered its sixth consecutive defeat in straight sets and the Valkyries did not have a single player reach double figure kills. Senior Val Thoms (Menasha, Wis.) was the closest with seven kills.
Barton bolted out in the first set by hitting .375 including six perfect swings by Cochran. The frame was highlighted by a 7-0 run while junior Chelsea Fleury (Camden, N.C.) was serving. Fleury had two consecutive aces in the outburst and finished with a match-high three aces.
The hosts held a commanding 19-12 advantage in the middle set before Converse rallied with an 11-3 comeback to take the lead at 23-22. Cochran answered with a kill to level the score before a pair of hitting errors lifted Barton to the commanding 2-0 lead.
Barton scored the first five points of the third set. The fifth point was awarded after Valkyries sophomore setter Kandace Griffin (Birmingham, Ala.) collided with her teammate while going for the set. Griffin immediately fell to the ground and remained laying down for some 30 minutes as athletic trainers waited for paramedics to arrive on the scene with the potential of serious injury.
Coach Freeman added, "Obviously our thoughts are with Kandace Griffin and the Converse team and we will be wishing for good news. That is disturbing any time you see a player in that type of situation."
The Bulldogs continued to play well after Griffin left on a stretcher to a concerned clapping crowd and two benches. Barton used two four-point runs and one six-point explosion before a junior Sammy Jo Hinnant (Manteo, N.C.) kill ended the match.
Barton hit .250 for the match with Wood chipping in seven spikes. The Bulldogs, ranked No. 2 nationally in blocks per set, finished with eight team blocks including four block assists by freshman Skye Square (Manassas, Va.) and sophomore Jordan Lee (Wilson, N.C.).
"I liked our spirit. I thought we maintained a good positive approached to things as a team throughout the evening," concluded Freeman.
