Carrollton, GA - Facing one of the toughest programs in NAIA over the past 10 years, the West Georgia volleyball program rose to the occasion on Saturday afternoon, taking down Gulf South Conference newcomer Lee at The Coliseum by a 3-1 count.
Defense was the name of the game, especially at the net on Saturday afternoon, as the two teams combined for 24 blocks in the match. West Georgia's contribution to that number was 10, with junior #
Kendall Williams# leading the way with five blocks on the day.
The first set saw the two teams battle neck-and-neck for the first 19 points, with neither team taking more than a two point advantage during that span. With the set tied at 19-19, Williams delivered two straight points for the Wolves on the block, propelling West Georgia to a 5-1 run that closed out the first set with a 25-20 victory for UWG.
West Georgia came out firing in the second set, taking an early 4-1 lead. But Lee came roaring back to tie the set at six, sparking another run where neither team could gain a decided advantage. WIth the set tied 16-16, Lee pulled away, outscoring the Wolves 9-4 over the final half of the set to take a 25-20 victory and tie the match at 1-1.
In the third set, things started out in a similar fashion to the second set, with the Wolves opening up a 5-1 lead. But this time, West Georgia put the pedal to the floor and never looked back, taking a commanding 25-17 victory to go up 2-1 in the match. The final point of the set was a look into the future, as sophomore #
Tiffany Ancrum# put down a kill to give the Wolves the win.
The fourth set saw Ancrum and the Wolves again put distance between themselves and the Flames, as the Wolves built a 12-7 lead and kept that five point cushion for the remainder of the match, winning 25-20. In that final set, Ancrum had four kills and she finished with five kills in seven attacks on the afternoon.
#
Lesley Bemis# led the UWG offensive with 12 kills in the match, followed by #
Helen Menchinger# with 10. #
Amanda Miller# had 38 assists and #
Melissa Holt# led the back line with 12 digs.
West Georgia moves to 8-3 on the year and 3-1 in Gulf South Conference play, while Lee falls to 5-3 and 2-2 in GSC play. The Wolves' next matchup comes Tuesday evening against Shorter at 7 p.m.
