Box Score
by Kevin Buczek
DUE WEST, S.C.-Sophomore setter Amanda Grandy posted a double-double and classmate Melissa Cochran registered a team-high11 kills but it was not enough in Barton College's attempt at an upset in the quarterfinal of the 2012 Conference Carolinas Women's Volleyball Tournament at top-seeded Erskine College on Saturday afternoon in Belk Arena.
The Flying Fleet won in straight sets – 26-24, 25-21, 25-10 – and improved to 16-12 overall. Erskine won the West Division crown in the regular season to earn a No. 1 seed and will next host East No. 2 seed Belmont Abbey College in the semifinals on Wednesday. East top-seeded Queens University of Charlotte will host the other semifinal against West No. 2 North Greenville University.
The No. 4 East seeded Lady Bulldogs finished 2012 at 9-18 overall. Barton was picked to finish 11th out of 12 teams in the preseason coaches' poll but the Royal Blue and White won four of its last six league games under the helm of first year head coach Jeff Lennox to clinch one of the eight tournament slots.
Barton had four chances at set-point leading 24-20 late in the opening frame but Erskine won six straight serves to rally for a momentum changing 26-24 win. Senior Meredith Watkins provided BC with its first significant lead at 18-15 with a kill. Senior Kati Wood followed with consecutive spikes to put the Bulldogs at the doorstep of game point. EC senior Liz Massey followed with six unanswered points capped by an ace to steal the set.
Wood and Watkins finished with seven and six kills, respectively, for Barton. Wood finished her outstanding playing career at Barton as a three-time All-Conference performer with 1,120 career kills.
The Fleet took an early lead in the second set with an 8-3 surge only to have Barton rally to within one twice, 15-14 and 20-19, on kills off Cochran's arm before the hosts held on to take the commanding 2-nil advantage. Cochran had six of her team-high 11 kills in the middle set. Cochran also had three block assists.
Erskine won the first seven points of the third en route to its easiest set to complete the sweep. The Fleet his .448 in the final set while holding BC to a zero attack. Erskine hit .252 for the match and BC fired at .113.
Sophomore Caitlyn Bullock paced the Fleet with a double-double of 16 kills and 10 digs. Larz Chabra chipped in 30 assists and six digs. Brooke Dodge dug up a team-best 15 digs and Anna Butrym served up three aces.
Grandy finished with a line of 19 assists, 12 digs and two aces. Wood and sophomore Corinna Morton followed with nine digs.
Coach Lennox concluded, "We fought hard in the first couple of sets and couldn't overcome a good Erskine team. I'm proud of the team and what we accomplished this year and in making the playoffs."
