Box Score
by Kevin Buczek
WILSON, N.C.-Defending Conference Carolinas Tournament champions Lees-McRae College women's volleyball team hit .352 en route to a 25-12, 25-21, 25-16 Conference Carolinas victory over host Barton College in Wilson Gymnasium on Friday night.
Freshman Jordan Banta and junior Haydn Beatty ripped 11 and 10 kills, respectively, as Lees-McRae extended its conference win streak to four matches. The Bobcats head to Mount Olive College over .500 at 7-6 overall and 4-2 in the league.
Barton dipped to 4-10 on the season and 2-4 in the league. The Lady Bulldogs, who are 3-3 in the Dog House, will conclude a six-match home stand in a Conference Carolinas showdown against Limestone College on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Sophomore middle blocker Melissa Cochran led the Royal Blue and White with six kills and three combined blocks. Cochran hit .545 and did not record a hitting error. Sophomore setter Amanda Grandy totaled 14 assists and classmate Corinna Morton logged a team-best eight digs.
Lees-McRae – ranked No. 9 nationally in the latest NCAA statistical report in aces per set – served up five of its 11 aces in the first frame and never trailed in the opener before coasting to a 13-point win.
Barton took its first lead of the match at 13-12 in the middle stanza with a 4-0 run that was capped by an overpass kill by junior Jordan Lee. The Bobcats answered with the next four points including two straight kills by Banta to regain the lead for good. The Lady Bulldogs kept things close at 23-21 but kills by Banta and senior Dana Oliver helped secure the commanding 2-0 set lead for the visitors.
BC held a lead on four separate occasions early in the third and once again led as late as 13-12 on a double block by Lee and sophomore Jillian Sherman. Lees-McRae mimicked the second set and scored the next four points to once again take control at 16-13. The Bobcats finished the tilt on a 13-3 run to wrap up play finished off with back-to-back kills by Beatty.
Sophomore Taylor Pritchett orchestrated the Bobcats attack with 43 assists. Senior Dana Oliver notched five aces and junior Molly Corhn made a match-high 14 digs. Freshman Angela Morse chipped in nine kills and five block assists.
LMC blasted 47 kills at a .352 clip compared to Barton's 18 kills at a rate of .100.
