Box Score by Cory Guinn
BELMONT, N.C. – The Barton College women's volleyball team claimed its second straight win with a 3-1 decision over Belmont Abbey College on Friday night, its first over the Crusaders since the 2010 season.
Barton (7-8, 2-3) fell behind early in the first set as Belmont Abbey (9-7, 3-2) cruised to a 25-15 victory after hitting .385 as a team in the opening frame.
The Lady Bulldogs once again started slow in the second set before tying the score at five points apiece and taking a 6-5 lead on back-to-back errors from Belmont Abbey's Hannah Schellenberg. BC extended its lead to as large as 15-10 on a kill from Stephanie Pingyin before the Crusaders tied the score at 20-20. Barton bounced back to secure a 25-23 victory in the set and tie the match at 1-1.
In the third set, Barton and Belmont Abbey played to 10 total ties with the final coming at an 18-18 score late in the set. The Lady Bulldogs then used a 5-0 run, highlighted by two service aces from junior Kaitlyn Micol and three Crusader attack errors to build a 23-18 lead, claiming a 25-19 win on two straight attack errors by the home team.
Belmont Abbey controlled the fourth set in the early going, gaining an advantage as large at 13-7 before Barton used another 5-0 run to close within one point of a tie.
BC later tied the set at 17-17 on a kill from junior Mariana Kedzia before using another Crusader attack error to take a one-point lead. Barton closed the match with three straight points, including two blocks by freshman Alexandra Cullens, to secure a 25-23 set victory and the match win.
Pingyin led all players with 20 kills, her fourth such performance of the season, while Kedzia contributed 12 kills and 11 digs for her third double-double.
Sophomore Laura Peed totaled a career-high 24 digs in the match as freshman Angelica Acevedo chipped in 38 assists and seven digs of her own. Micol recorded 10 digs and two service aces to the winning effort.
Barton travels to Misenheimer, N.C. tomorrow for a Noon tip-off against the Falcons of Pfeiffer University.
