The Coastal Carolina (6-4) volleyball team began the day well, by defeating the North Carolina State Wolfpack in thrilling come from behind fashion in five sets (26-30, 30-24, 30-32, 30-19 15-7) but dropped the night cap to Long Island University in four sets (18-30, 26-30, 30-28, 22-30) to take second place in the Microtel Inn and Suites Chanticleer Classic on Saturday, September 17.

In the first match of the morning Coastal dropped the first game to North Carolina State (26-30) and were not looking at their best, but they rebounded well in second game (30-24) to tie the games at one apiece. North Carolina State and CCU went back and forth with each taking one game, to make the game dead even at 2-2, bringing up the fifth and decisive game. The Lady Chants built on the momentum of defeating the Wolfpack in the previous game, who coming into this tournament had only lost one game all season long, and took the Wolfpack down in stunning fashion, 15-7, for the victory and a chance to play for the championship later that evening against Long Island.

Leading Coastal to victory was Katherine Jensen (Vancouver, B.C./ Sentinel Secondary) who tallied game highs with 28 kills and a 20 digs. Junior setter Jennifer Hampton (Lake Forest, Calif./El Toro) also had a game high 61 assists to go with her 15 digs. Sophomore Alicia Meyers (Temecula, Calif./Temecula Valley) was the third Lady Chanticleers with a double-double with 13 kills and 14 digs. Junior Krista Kimble (Lake Forest, Calif./El Toro) and sophomore Laura Obert (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother Mercy) each recorded 11 kills. Two other CCU players reached the double figure mark in digs with junior Kali Banghart (Woodbridge, Va./C.D. Hylton) and freshman Jaclynn Yocum (Plain City, Ohio/Jonathan Alder) tallying 16 and 10, respectively.

Coastal Carolina would finish up the tournament taking on Long Island for the championship. Coastal again fell behind early as the women of Long Island would be ready for the challenge, as they took a two game lead on Coastal. Facing elimination Coastal rallied behind the play of Jensen to take  game three (30-28) from LIU and cut the deficit to one game. Unfortunately that would be as close as CCU could get as Long Island and their three members of the All-Tournament Team, including the MVP senior Cristinia Pintilie, eliminated the Lady Chants in game four, 30-22. CCU would have to settle for their third second place finish in as many tournaments this season.

Coastal would be lead in defeat by Jensen who tallied 16 kills and Hampton who recorded 38 assists and 15 digs. CCU would be outhit in the game in kills 67-54 and in hitting percentage .240 to .151.

The final standing would be as follows

1. Long Island University

2. Coastal Carolina University

3. University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

4. North Carolina State University

The Chanticleer Classic All-Tournament team would include one woman from Tennessee-Chattanooga in junior Lindsey Galloway, two from Coastal in sophomore Laura Obert and junior Jennifer Hampton, and three from Long Island in junior Lizelle Jackson and sophomore Dana Demayo and the tournament MVP senior Cristina Pintilie.

Coastal’s next game will be on Sept. 21, as they take on UNC-Wilmington starting at 7 p.m.