Box Score by Cory Guinn
WILSON, N.C. – For the first time since 2010, the Barton College women's volleyball team has advanced to the Conference Carolinas Tournament Semifinals. The North Division No. 2 seed Barton defeated the South Division No. 3 seed North Greenville University 3-1 (17-25, 25-23, 25-23, 25-17) on Tuesday night in Wilson Gymnasium.
North Greenville (22-11) won the first set of action 25-17 after holding Barton (15-12) to a -.029 hitting percentage as a team. However, the Lady Bulldogs responded with three straight set wins to claim the postseason victory.
Barton began the second set with seven unanswered points behind the services of junior Mariana Kedzia and two kills apiece from fellow junior Kaitlyn Micol and freshman Hayley Marshburn.
The Crusaders eventually tied the match at 16-16 following a kill from Sara Miller, and again at 20-20 before Barton took a timeout. BC won five of the next eight points, ending the set with a kill by freshman Alexandra Cullens to tie the match at 1-1.
BC fell behind early in the third set as the North Greenville lead grew to a 19-13 advantage late in the frame. The Lady Bulldogs continued to battle, tying the set at 23-23 before a kill from Kedzia put the team ahead 2-1 in the match.
North Greenville once again gained an early edge, leading 8-4 in the fourth set of play. Barton used two kills from sophomore Courtney Wiseman, an NGU attacking error and a kill by Kedzia to even the score at 8-8 midway through the set.
The two teams remained close until a 7-2 run by BC gave the Lady Bulldogs an 18-13 lead. After North Greenville closed the gap to an 18-15 deficit, Barton scored five unanswered points and seven of the last nine to secure the match win.
Cullens led BC with 14 kills and .737 hitting percentage with six total blocks. The Tarpon Springs, Fla. native has totaled 50 kills on 105 with just two errors in the last 12 matches, including 32 kills on 61 attempts without an error in her last five matches played.
Kedzia recorded 11 kills and 15 digs in the match for her fifth straight double-double, as Marshburn also totaled 11 kills with a team-high 19 digs in the win. Sophomore Laura Peed chipped in 17 digs of her own, while Micol and Wiseman finished with eight and seven kills, respectively.
Barton will travel to Due West, S.C. on Saturday, Nov. 14 to play the No. 1 seed from the South Division Erskine College at 7:30 p.m.
