DAVIDSON, N.C. – The FGCU volleyball team (4-3) began Davidson's Wildcat Classic with a three-set sweep (25-19, 25-15, 25-18) of Wofford (5-3) Friday, snapping a mini three-game losing streak.
Highlighting the dominant sweep for the Eagles was FGCU outside hitter
Amanda Carroll becoming just the third player – second in the Division-I era – to reach 1,000 career kills. The junior entered the match with 997 career kills, eclipsed the milestone with eight kills in the first set and finished the day with a game-high 18.
Carroll (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia HS) now has 1,015 career kills with nearly two full seasons remaining, trailing just Olivia Mesner (1,132 from 2011-14) and USA Beach Volleyball Olympian Brooke Youngquist Sweat (1,167 from 2004-07) on the program's all-time list.
Cortney VanLiew (Seymour, Ind./Columbus East HS) recorded 13 kills to aid in the Eagles' attack, hitting .281 – her 2nd-best performance of the year. Carroll also recorded her 2nd-best hitting performance of the season with an impressive .432 outing.
Maggie Rick (Alpharetta, Ga./Blessed Trinity Catholic HS) capped the day with a game-high 36 assists, helping set up FGCU's .276 hitting percentage compared with Wofford's .135.
Karissa Rhoades (Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale Senior HS) and Carroll paced the Green and Blue with 19 digs each.
Sharonda Pickering (Sea Cow's Bay, Tortola, BVI/ Elmore Stoutt HS) was a force at the net, sending back seven total Wofford attacks. The junior recorded four solo blocks (Wofford had none as a team) and also had three block assists (Wofford had two as a squad) after entering the match with just 10 total blocks on the year.
"I'm really pleased with this performance and appreciative of the effort these girls gave in light of the circumstances back home," said head coach
Matt Botsford as Hurricane Irma's direct track is bearing down on Southwest Florida, and already went through Pickering's native British Virgin Islands. "This has been challenging for everyone as we balance our commitment to this team with our concern for family and friends who are bracing for the hurricane. Our players have handled things with poise and maturity, and I couldn't be more proud of them.
"Amanda was phenomenal this evening, and what a fitting performance for her to reach the 1,000-kill mark," Botsford added. "Collectively I thought we served great tonight, and that really shifted things in our favor. Sharonda also had a big impact at the net and helped to provided some timely blocking."
As a team, FGCU had seven service aces compared with Wofford's two. Carroll had a season-high-tying four aces to lead the Eagles.
The Eagles took all three sets in relatively easy fashion, but got there with big runs in two of the three.
After trailing 2-1 in the opening set, the Green and Blue ran off four-straight points to take a 5-2 lead and never trailed again.
In set two, Wofford held a 7-4 advantage, prompting Botsford to call a timeout. His team responded out of that break with 10-straight points with
Courtney Stephens (Winter Park Fla./Winter Park HS) serving to put the set out of reach.
In the decisive third set, FGCU held a 9-5 lead before the Terriers rattled off five-consecutive points to take a 10-9 edge, leading to an FGCU timeout. Like they did a set before, the Eagles once again responded, this time with seven-straight points – four by Carroll from service aces or kills – to take a 16-10 lead and never looked back.
The Eagles return to action in the final day of the Wildcat Classic on Saturday. FGCU opens play at Noon against host Davidson before turning around and facing Georgia at 4 p.m.
FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU volleyball program, follow on Twitter at @FGCU_VB, on Facebook at /FGCUVolleyball and on Instagram at @FGCU_VB.
COACH BOTSFORD
Head coach Matt Botsford finished his third season at the helm of the FGCU volleyball. In 2016, Botsford's squad produced one of its most successful seasons ever at 27-6, with the win total representing the most in Division I program history and falling two shy of the all-time mark. His teams have combined for an overall 71-31 (.696) record, including a 32-10 (.762) mark in ASUN play. In his inaugural season, the Eagles finished with a record of 19-11 with a second-place ASUN finish. Botsford has coached 15 All-Conference selections in his three seasons. Prior to his time in Southwest Florida, Botsford held successful stints as an assistant at Notre Dame, Miami, IUPUI, Indianapolis and most recently Colorado State. A former professional volleyball player, he is a 1998 graduate of Tri-State University (now Trine), where he earned a degree in Social Studies Education. He earned a master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Indianapolis.
SUPPORT THE CAUSE
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help.
