14
THE Seahawk/Dctdber 3, 2DDD
Women’s volleyball comes up short against Mercer
- - 1 ~ r\ 1 rt lit ^ ^ ^ 1 > ■ _
Ben DeFoe
Staff Writer
The UNC Wilmington volleyball team
showed outstanding efifort in a long fou^t
match against Mercer University last Satur
day, losing in five games to the Bears. The
Seahawks displayed positive energy with
great poise, but were unable to squeak out a
victory.
UNCW came into the gym with great
intensity and confidetice showing that they
knew they could win this match. The
Seahaw ks had something to play for because
a special crowd was in the audience. The
families of these proud wottKn attended the
match. As each member of the team was
announced, the players fwesented carnations
to their parents.
Mercer started out strong in the first game
e\’en though both teams looked as though
they were lacking communication. UNCW
in the beginning of the game kxiked like they
needed some help getting their saves iq). The
Seahawks would improve cm this through
out the entire match.
Mercer had trouble early on getting their
kills across because Angela Bodner. Emily
Steele, and Heather White buih a wall across
the net. The score was 8-6 and UNCW
looked like they were cruising when Mercer
scored six unanswered points, two of them
were aces hit by server Amy Schreiber. who
led both teams with nine ser\ice aces. Mer
cer won the first game 15-10 regardless to
sk)ppy play.
The second game started out wliere the
first game left off. Both teams were not play
ing up to potential. Mercer's serves were
penetrating fee zcme of the Seahaw ks as they
looked to be too sfwead out MenEer was
making plenty of mistakes as well as U’NCW
and it show ed Ml their coach’s face. Mercer
coach ADen Edwmls w^ vay vocal towards
his players as they did capitalize on the mis
takes made by UNCW. This game went back
and fcHlh. as the kmgest volley of the game
took place when it was 8-7 in favor of
UNCW. The game was much closer and
well played, but UNCWr'still couW IK* break
a
Janas FUt The Seahn*
Holly Abbhul (#15) and Bailey Lee
go up for the block against Mer
cer on Saturday. The Seahawks
fell in five games to the Bears.
10 pcMts as Mercer w ent on to win 15-10.
UNCW regrouped at halfdme because
they knew that they had to win the next game
OTthe match would be over. The third game
still looked as though UNCW had not
changed anything because they came out
with a slow start. UNCW finally started to
pull it together thanks to the help of Eiin
Fowler and Hdly Abbuhl. Abbuhl would
set the boll up and Fowler w ould knock them
dowu 'The sets were awesome.. .1 feh re
ally good about the sets,” said junior outside
hitter Fowler. Abbuhl led both teams with
59 assists. UNCW revamped itself and won
game three. 15-11.
UNCW a^^jeared to be turning die mo
mentum in their favc*-. and were mounting a
huge comeback. The Seahaw ks jumped out
to an eariy lead in game four erf 8-5 but be
gan to slip. Mercer came back and tied the
game at 10 all. Even though UNCW was
having some problems keepang the ball in
play, they received some big help &om
TENNIS, FROM PAGE 13
(rffiom Coastal Carolina with an 8-4 victory
in Flight One. The Seahawks also saw five
mc*c doubles victories on Friday with domi
nating scores including a shutout by the
doubles teams of Bow ies and McRae and
Phe^andPeny.
Overall, both coaches were happy with
their teams {^y and were happy to see sodc
of the strides the teams made, especially in
douMes. “In these fall tournaments we’re
realty kxiking at our doubles combinatioDS
to try to get them set for the main season in
the spring.” said Men's Head Coach AHen
FarfbuL
“I think for the fall season we’re wiieie
we need to be peifcmiance wise,” said Josh
Francesdiiiia.
“ I think a kx of good things came out of
this weekend, I saw vast improvements,
we're attempting the right shot, but not al
ways making them, but I believe that in the
spring we’ll not only be attempting them, but
making them.” said women’s head coach
Jenny Ganity. ‘1 think everyone did a good
job in competing in their matches,” said
Garrity.
Speaking on what can be taken from this
early tournament. Senior Stephanie Phelps
said,” I think it took us a while to get into a
groove, but I ihink we took mental tou^
ness fiotn this toumamenL”
The teams wiD continue to compete all
season, with the next match for the women's
team coming in three weeks at the Charles
ton Southem Invitatiooal, Oct 13-14. The
men's team heads to Raleigh Oct 13-15 to
piay in the N.C. State Invitatiooal.
Bodner with some key blocks. The
Seahawks did not look back after the score
was tied, winning the game 15-10.
It was all tied up at two games apiece
heading into the last and final game. Volley
ball mles stale in the fifth game every point
counts. This last game was a nail-biter, as
both teams went back and forth until it was
all tied up at 14. The next two points would
decide the winner, and they belonged to
Mercer as they defeated UNCW in five
games.
Coach China Jude had only positive
things to say about her team even though they
lost “I am very proud and impressed with
my team. Their consistency in the last two
games was great and I have a new found re
spect for them because they bounccd back
from a two game deficit.”
The volleyball team heads to East Caro
lina University for an Oct. 2 matchup. “The
team is so pumped up about ECU b^use it
is a big rival and we don’t want to lose,” se
nior setter Holly Abbuhl said.
Volleyball falls to JMU
Dan Guy
Abst. News Editor
UNC Wilmington’s volleyball team
began conference play against James
Madison (14-3) Friday night at Hanover
HaU, in front of 179 loud fans. UNCW
(2-12) was defeated in straight games,
15-10, 15-6, 15-6.
HoUy Abbuhl had 10 digs, and Bailey
Lee led the Seahawks with eight kills.
As a team, JMU hit .346 for the match,
while UNCW marked .089.
“I thought we stayed really intense,
we went out there focused, and we came
out really strong,” said Angela Bodner.
“We kind of let down a little bit, but we
never gave up.”
The Seahawks opened game one ex
cited and confident on a 4-0 run. JMU
then went on a 9-1 run to take a 9-5 lead.
UNCW battled back to tie the game at
10-10 before JMU went on a 5-0 run to
win the game.
“We really jumped out on them, and
grabbed the first three points,” said Head
Coach China Jude. “We stayed aggres
sive, intense, and that was really a great
game. 1 am very, very pleased. We re
ally have had a chance to get our heads
together over the last couple of days, got
mentally prepared, studied the tape, and
worked on a brand new defense.”
“We put a lot of things together, our
offense worked, our defense was going
crazy, it felt good, we played good,” said
Holly Abbuhl. “[James Madison] nor
mally ranks one or two in the conference,
they’re probably one of our biggest chal
lenges. It’s kind of a tough start, but it’s
a great way to open it up. If we played
JMU like we did today, that says a lot
about how we’re going to play at ECU,
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