Oct. 26, 2010

Final Stats | Photo Gallery 1 | Photo Gallery 2

CONWAY, S.C. -- The Coastal Carolina University volleyball team defeated the Winthrop Eagles 3-1 (25-18, 22-25, 25-16, 25-21) on its annual Dig Pink night, putting them at 13-12 overall and 6-4 in the conference. The Eagles fall to 10-14 overall and 7-5 in the Big South.

Junior Erika Lightsey and freshman Lauren Alejo both posted double-doubles during the match, with Lightsey registering 13 kills and 12 digs while Alejo recorded 29 assists and 12 digs. Junior Kelsie Mauck tallied 19 assists on the night and senior Chelsy Kimes totaled 11 kills. Winthrop's Kelsey Hall recorded 34 assists and Kelsey Harrison posted 17 digs. Both Kaley Viola and Becca Toor registered 11 kills.

Before the start of the match, Coastal Carolina's volleyball team celebrated Dig Pink night in Kimbel Arena. The team helped raise money for the Side-Out Foundation and a local breast cancer organization in the Conway/Myrtle Beach area prior to the event by hosting a bake sale on Monday, as well as a silent auction and a bank drive at the Dig Pink match.

The Winthrop Eagles came out early in set one, going on an 8-4 run to start. But the Chanticleers went on a 9-3 run of their own to make the score 14-11 and put the set out of reach of the Eagles. Set one ended on a block by senior Megan Bickford, giving Coastal the win at 25-18. Winthrop was held to a .114 attack percentage during the first set. Alejo posted six digs and four assists for the Chanticleers, while Winthrop's Hall recorded 10 assists.

Set two saw the Eagles strike early with a 14-6 run against the Chanticleers, but the Chants battled back with an 11-3 run to tie the Eagles at 17-all. The set stayed tight, seeing two lead changes and four ties, with the final tie coming at 22-all. Winthrop went on a 3-0 run to end the match on a kill by the Eagles' Viola with a score of 25-22. Alejo added 10 assists to her total for the night, while Lightsey and freshman Meghan Laffin each tallied four kills for the Chanticleers. Lightsey also totaled five digs during the set. Winthrop's Harrison registered seven digs and Hall added seven assists.

The Chanticleers and Eagles were closely matched in set three with three ties putting the score at 4-4. An 11-2 run by Coastal gave them a 15-6 lead, and with the Eagles unable to come within seven points of the Chanticleers, Coastal cruised to a 25-16 victory. Mauck posted six assists while Kimes tallied four kills during the set. Winthrop's Hall recorded eight more assists.

In a decisive set four, Coastal went up 3-1 but Winthrop came right back to put the score at 4-3 in its favor. The teams went back and forth, posting five ties to make the score 8-all. The Chanticleers went out on top at 9-8 thanks to a kill by sophomore Sierra Livesay and stayed ahead going on a 6-3 run that put them up 15-11. The Eagles fought back with a 7-2 run to tie the score at 18-all. A kill by Kimes put the Chanticleers up 19-18, but the Eagles would tie the score again on the next point. Coastal took the final lead on a kill by Laffin, putting the score at 20-19. The match ended 25-21 on a block by Bickford and Lightsey.

The Chanticleers will be in action on the road at Presbyterian College on Friday, Oct 29 at 7pm.