September 11, 2007

LAURINBURG, N.C.—St. Andrews Presbyterian College posted a season-high .270 hitting percentage on Tuesday night in Harris Court, as the Knights volleyball team remained perfect in Conference Carolinas play with a 3-0 (30-27, 30-18, 30-27) sweep over visiting Belmont Abbey College.

Sophomore middle blocker Galina Podolsky (Raleigh, N.C.) led the way with a .500 hitting percentage, as St. Andrews improved to 5-7 overall and 4-0 in the conference. The Knights also stay flawless at home at 2-0.

The Crusaders, who fell to 1-11 on the year and 0-2 in the league, held a late 22-18 lead in the first game. SAPC responded with a 6-0 run that featured a pair of service aces by sophomore setter Jaime Hayes (Gulf Breeze, Fla.) to catapult into the lead for good. The Knights held on for the three-point win the first game.

St. Andrews had its best game in the second, grabbing a quick 3-0 lead that they would never relinquish and roll to the 12-point win and a commanding 2-0 advantage in the match. The Knights seized a late 27-22 lead in the final frame but the Abbey kept fighting and tied everything at 27 apiece with a 5-0 run. However, St. Andrews kept its composer and scored the final three points including a spike by senior Tara Lemieux (Panama City, Fla.) just inside the baseline to end the contest.

Hayes finished the evening with a season-high 45 assists in a three-game match, a game-high four aces, and six digs. Podolsky totaled an impressive 10 kills on 16 attempts. Lemieux game-ending kill was her 13th of the match, in addition to her eight digs. Lemieux and Podolsky each registered three block assists.

Senior Lindsey Stansbury (Morgan City, La.) led all hitters with 17 kills and 10 digs. Classmate Erin Haugen (Ft. Mill, S.C.) scooped up a game-high 15 digs.

Junior Sydney Steffen (Davenport, Iowa) led the Abbey with a team-high nine kills and six digs. Freshmen Emily Frohnapfel (Stafford, Va.) and Leanna Cassandra (Cumming, Ga.) each provided five kills while junior Allison Smith (Clifton, Va.) provided 25 assists. Senior Monica Halligan (Yuma, Ariz.) tallied 13 digs and four service aces and Frohnapfel added three blocks. Freshman Holly Kimmel (Borden, Ind.) chipped in with eight digs and senior Ashleigh Oxtoby (Rochester, Ill.) had two blocks.

St. Andrews will entertain a pair of Conference Carolinas opponents this weekend. The Knights will first clash with Anderson University on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. and then host Converse College on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. Belmont Abbey returns home when they battle league foe Lees-McRae on Friday at 6:30 p.m.