Liberty University
16-12, 11-5BSC
Charleston Southern
13-19, 8-8BSC
CSU Edges Liberty, 3-2, in Regular-Season Finale
11/12/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Liberty built a 2-1 match lead over Charleston Southern, before the visiting Buccaneers rallied to win the next two sets for a 3-2 (21-25, 25-20, 20-25, 25-20, 15-13) victory on Saturday at Liberty Christian Academy.
Saturday's match was contested at LCA's gymnasium due to facility conflicts at the Vines Center.
Charleston Southern snapped a 16-match losing streak in the series, downing the Lady Flames for the first time since Oct. 21, 2006. The Buccaneers finish the regular season at 13-19, seeded fifth in the Big South with an 8-8 conference record. Liberty (16-12, 11-5) will enter the Big South Volleyball Championship as the second seed, receiving a first-round bye.
For the match, CSU outhit Liberty, .247-.136. The Buccaneers also led, 9-6 in service aces and 14-8 in blocks. Liberty led in kills (62-51) and digs (72-66).
Brooke Monssen led CSU with 15 kills and a match-high nine blocks, while Connor Malone contributed 13 kills and six blocks. Madison Martin registered three aces and 18 digs, while Kylie Klein recorded nine kills and seven blocks. Rachel Smith dished out 28 assists, while Taylor Allman collected 13 digs and Hannah Western chipped in with 10 digs.
Leah Clayton led all players with 25 kills, tying her career high. Anna Gragg hit .444 with a career-high 15 kills, to go with four blocks. Anna Willey registered her 25th career double-double, with 46 assists and 14 digs. Sirena Vorster served up a match-high four aces. Michelle Melendez collected a match-high 20 digs, while Gabrielle Vess totaled 10 kills and 10 digs. Margaret Latchford corralled 13 digs.
Liberty trailed set one, 16-12, after a Martin ace. The Lady Flames then went on an 8-1 run, taking control at 20-17. CSU drew to within two at 20-18 and again at 21-19, but got no closer as Liberty won, 25-21.
The Lady Flames hit .086 in the opening set, and four Liberty blocks helped hold the Buccaneers to a .000 hitting percentage. Clayton scored seven set-one kills.
CSU held a 19-17 lead in set two when Monssen posted a solo block. Liberty scored the next two points, tying it on a Clayton kill. Malone then sparked a 5-0 CSU rally with a kill, and the Buccaneers won, 25-20.
The Buccaneers outhit Liberty, .278-.050, in the second set, while also recording three aces and six blocks. Monssen totaled five kills and four blocks during set two.
Liberty bounced back quickly after intermission, leading by as many as eight points in a 25-20 set-three victory. Clayton fueled the Lady Flames' attack, scoring eight kills as the hosts hit .308. CSU answered with a .258 hitting percentage.
During the fourth stanza, CSU broke an 11-11 tie with three straight points, and did not allow Liberty to get closer than three the rest of the set. The Buccaneers sent the match to a decisive fifth set, 25-20.
CSU outhit Liberty, .400-.139, during set four, and the guests were led by Monssen's five kills.
Set five saw the Buccaneers build a 7-3 lead, getting three early blocks. A three-point burst brought Liberty to within 7-6, before a Monssen kill made it 8-6 at the court change. Klein scored a kill for a 10-7 CSU advantage. Liberty then staged a 4-1 rally, taking the lead at 12-11 on a Vorster solo block. After two sideouts, Kaderli and Smith scored back-to-back kills, and a Liberty error sealed CSU's 15-13 win.
The guests hit .261 in the fifth set, while Liberty attacked at a .074 pace. Gragg hit 4-for-4 during set five, while Monssen posted three block assists.
Official seeding and matchups for the 2016 Big South Volleyball Championship will be released later this evening. The Lady Flames will host this year's Big South Volleyball Championship, next Friday through Sunday at the Vines Center, with the final to be aired live on ESPN3.com.
