ROCK HILL, S.C. -- The Coastal Carolina University volleyball team (13-15, 5-5 Big South) fell in three games to Winthrop (15-10, 9-1 Big South) Nov. 2 in Rock Hill, S.C.  Game scores were 19-30, 28-30 and 27-30.

After Kelsey Hall started a seven-point run in game one that allowed the Eagles to control the game, Coastal battled back in games two and three.

Winthrop got off to a strong start in game two and held a 15-9 lead. However, the Lady Chanticleers began to rally, slowly chipping away at the Eagles' lead. A kill from sophomore Jill Nyhof (Alpharetta, Ga./Northview) made it a 21-20 game still in favor of the Eagles. Then on the next play, freshmen Megan Bickford (Olathe, Kan./Olathe South) and Amanda Russell (Liberty, Ind./Union County) blocked Shannon Sitzmann's attack to even the game at 21-all. The teams traded points and Winthrop was able to take a two-point 25-23 lead off a Kelley Taylor kill. However, on the next play, Nyhof looked to pull Coastal to within one, but a scoring error kept the game score at 25-23.

Control of game two continued as three more ties occurred. Winthrop was able to get its final two points off kills from Taylor and Tara Toepke to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

Momentum carried over from late game two over to game three. Neither team got a significant lead until Sitzmann started a five-point run that led to a 24-20 Winthrop advantage. Coastal had a late three-point run that pulled the Lady Chants to within two and make it a 29-27 game. However, Taylor scored the game-winning kill to seal the match.

Freshman Chelsy Kimes (Munster, Ind./Munster) led Coastal with a double-double of 15 kills and 12 digs. She also hit .282 for the match.  Sophomore Meagan Tracey (Scottsdale, Ariz./Horizon) added 36 assists, while junior Brett Starbuck (Glen Allen, Va./J.R. Tucker) had 16 digs.

Coastal hit .159 for the match, compared to Winthrop's .259 hitting percentage.  Coastal did have eight blocks on the night, as Bickford and senior Nakia Thompson had four block assists.

Shannon Sitzmann had 19 kills to lead the Eagles.

Coastal will continue its road trip Saturday, Nov. 3 against High Point.  The match will start at 2 p.m., in High Point, N.C.