Box Score
by Kevin Buczek
WILSON, N.C.-The Belmont Abbey College women's volleyball team used a well-balanced attack to defeat host Barton College in straight sets – 25-9, 25-13, 25-18 – in Conference Carolinas action Friday night in Wilson Gymnasium.
Junior Lydia Schellenberg and freshmen Hannah Schellenberg and Caitlin Hankins all had 10 kills for the Crusaders and the Abbey hit .433 to improve to 10-3 overall and 2-1 in the conference. Senior Kay Schellenberg set up the Crusaders offense with 39 assists.
BAC leads Conference Carolinas in kills, assists and hitting percentage.
Senior outside hitter Kati Wood matched the Crusader trio with a team-high 10 kills for the Lady Bulldogs. Sophomores Jillian Sherman and Melissa Cochran followed with five spikes apiece.
The Royal Blue and White hit over .300 on Wednesday but cooled off a bit to a .129 clip against the Abbey to fall to 2-1 in the Dog House. Barton dipped to 3-8 overall and 2-2 in the league but will try and bounce back quickly in another Conference Carolinas clash during the College's Family Weekend as the Lady Bulldogs host Coker College on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Sophomore setter Amanda Grandy tallied 21 assists for the Royal Blue and White. Classmate Corinna Morton had a team-high nine digs.
Lydia and Hannah Schellenberg made 18 and 10 digs, respectively, to complete double-doubles for the visitors.
Belmont Abbey scored eight consecutive points early in the first set to take a 14-4 lead before cruising to the 16-point win. In the second set, the Crusaders used an 8-1 outburst midway through the frame to pull away for another double-digit triumph.
The final set proved the most challenging for the Abbey. Two consecutive service aces by Morton providing the host Bulldogs an 11-9 lead before the Crusaders rallied ahead by winning five of the next six points. Belmont Abbey maintained the lead and a kill by Lydia Schellenberg ended the match.
