Box Score Volleyball Falls to Birmingham-Southern 3-2 More Information:
CONWAY, S.C.- The Coastal Carolina (8-22, 3-10) volleyball team were defeated by Birmingham-Southern in a five-game match on Sunday afternoon in Kimbel Arena. The game scores were 28-30, 30-25, 30-26, 14-30, 13-15.
Both teams got out to a slow start in game one with the Lady Panthers earning the early advantage 14-8. After a Coastal timeout, Birmingham-Southern continued its lead 20-15 off of three Sarah Harris kills and a Milica Stojanovic service ace.  Nakia Thompson (Lexington, S.C./Lexington), Ashley Scheible (Westerville, Ohio/North) and Nyhof got two kills apiece pulling within three 27-24 and forcing a Lady Panther timeout. Devon West (Ontario, Canada/Lockerby Composite School (Cambrian College of Applied Arts and Tech)) came out with a quick service ace and got two kills from Thompson putting the score at 29-27. Senior Kristin Rinne (Fountain Hills, Ariz./Fountain Hills) then served her own ace pulling within one but another Harris kill sealed the deal for the Lady Panthers 30-28. Thompson led the Lady Chanticleer offense with six kills while Harris ended the game with nine.
Coastal led the entire second game getting the 30-25 victory off of another strong Nyhof and Scheible performance. Coastal gained the early lead 12-5 off of three Coastal blocks including a solo block from Scheble and two Lady Panther attack errors. Solid blocking and a .237 hitting percentage helped Coastal in the win. Nyhof ended the game with five kills while Scheible and fellow senior Laura Obert (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother of Mercy) each had four. Harris led the Lady Panther offense again with four kills.
Each team matched the other point-for-point in game three until two consecutive Nyhof kills and one from Obert gave the Lady Chanticleers the 24-23 advantage. After a Birmingham-Southern timeout, Scheible had another huge block but Michelle Maciejewski responded with a kill to keep within one. The two teams then battled for the lead each team getting big blocks, Scheible and Rinne for Coastal and Casey Demos and Stojanovic for Birmingham-Southern. The Lady Chanticleers then took advantage of three Lady Panthers errors to win the game 30-26. Coastal was again led by Nyhof who had seven kills and Scheible who had three blocks and two kills. Birmingham-Southern was led by Maciejewski who put down four balls.
Birmingham-Southern came out with a vengeance in game four winning the early 16-9 advantage and never looked back. Coastal looked like a completely different team hitting in the negatives (-.022) having 12 errors. The Lady Panthers looked to the strong serving arms of Demos and Stojanovic who served nine points combined in the last four minutes of the game. BSC ended on a kill from Morgan Anderson to win the game 30-14. The Lady Panthers were led by Harris who had five kills while Caitlin Dees, Anderson and Demos each had three. Obert put down four balls for the Lady Chanticleers.
Coastal had the early 6-4 lead in the deciding fifth game before Maciejewski served five straight points on five Coastal errors until a Rinne kill switched possession. Brett Starbuck (Glen Allen, Va./JR Tucker) then served an ace and took advantage of a Lady Panther attack error to pull within two, 10-8. Harris then blasted a kill off of a Stojanovic set which Obert answered back with a big kill of her own before the blocking duo of Obert and setter Meagan Tracey (Scottsdale, Ariz./Horizon) tied the game at 12 all. Another quick Harris kill forced the Coastal timeout and a block by Anderson and Dees put the Lady Panthers back on top, 14-12. Nyhof had another kill to pull within one but couldn't pull off the victory falling 15-13.
Coastal was led by Nyhof who had 20 kills and was responsible for 20.5 points in the match. Scheible ended the night with a .385 hitting percentage on 14 kills and had eight blocks (two solo, six assisted). Obert also had 14 kills with a .353 hitting percentage. Thompson had a strong performance as well having nine kills and 13 digs. Tracey picked up her 11th double-double of the season recording 59 assist and 17 digs. It was also Tracey's fifth 50-plus assist match. Starbuck scooped up 27 balls to give her a second 20-plus dig match on the season. As a team, Coastal ended with a .153 hitting percentage and 15 total blocks. Birmingham-Southern had five players have double-digits in kills on the night with two players picking up another double-double on the season. Harris recorded her 10th double-double leading the Lady Panther offense with 23 kills and 16 digs. Maciejewski tallied her 11th double-double having 10 kills and 16 digs. Demos and Dees each ended the night with 11 kills while Anderson tallied 10. Alex Norten scooped up 22 balls and Andra Krautmanis had 12 digs. As a team, BSC hit .209 on 67 kills with 10 total blocks.
The Lady Panthers are back in action on Saturday, November 11 as they take on UNC Asheville in the last regular match of the season. That match is set for 2 p.m. The Lady Chanticleers finish out their regular season against Charleston Southern on Friday, November 10 at 7 p.m.
