Box Score
by Kevin Buczek
DUE WEST, S.C.-Freshman Brittany Edwards hit a team-best .429 for the Barton College women's volleyball team in a 3-0 (25-12, 25-12, 25-14) Conference Carolinas loss to host Erskine College on Friday night in Belk Arena.
The Flying Fleet – picked to finish third in the league in the preseason coaches' poll -- got into the win column for the first time this season in the conference opener for both teams. Erskine improved to 1-5 overall and 1-0 in the conference and Barton dipped to 1-6 and 0-1.
Lauren Stewart blasted 16 kills on 29 swings with only two errors to lead the hosts to the victory with a .483 hitting percentage. Larz Chabra and Alicia Bragg both connected for six kills on 10 attempts without a misfire and Kelly Sullivan had eight spikes and two errors on 10 attempts. Chabra, Bragg and Sullivan all hit at 60-percent accuracy.
The Fleet hit .429 as a team compared to .051 by the Lady Bulldogs as the hosts won each set by double digits.
Edwards and sophomore Melissa Cochran paced the Royal Blue and White with four kills apiece. Senior Kati Wood was held to three spikes.
Sophomore Corinna Morton provided Barton with 14 digs and classmate Amanda Grandy lofted up 14 assists. Wood chipped in 10 digs; Grandy had a team-high two blocks; and sophomore Katie Wilkinson tallied the Lady Bulldogs only service ace.
Erskine was aided by five aces launched by Caitlin Bullock, 15 digs saved by Brooke Dodge and 24 assists set up by Chabra.
Barton will next play in a tri-match at Converse College on Saturday including a Conference Carolinas contest against the host Valkyries at Noon before taking on Augusta State University in non-conference play at 2 p.m.
