ASHEVILLE, NC --The Morehead State volleyball team earned a 3-0 sweep (25-18, 25-20, 25-17) over the Queens (N.C.) Royals Friday at the Justice Center in the opener of the UNC Asheville Tournament and the 2022 season opener.
The non-conference win improved Morehead State's overall record to 1-0 on the season, while the Royals dropped their Division I debut.
The Eagle offense was paced by Maycie Welborn, who finished with 14 kills on the day while accumulating a hitting percentage of .423. M.E. Hargan added 13 and Abby Hulsman chipped in with 10 as part of balanced Morehead State attack. Bridget Bessler contributed as well by serving up 45 assists as she became just the seventh Eagle ever to eclipse 3,000 career assists. MSU got a career-best 19 digs from Andrea Grimes along with five blocks from McKenzee Wagener to lead them defensively.
How It Happened
SET 1 | The Eagles cruised to an early lead, handily winning the first set 25-18. Morehead State never trailed by more than five points and grabbed the advantage for good at 18-17 in a set that showcased four lead changes before the Eagles took over in the second half of the stanza.
SET 2 | Morehead State took set two 25-20 to quickly grab a 2-0 lead. The Eagles never trailed by more than five points and grabbed the advantage for good at 21-20 in a set that showcased two lead changes before the Eagles took over in the second half of the stanza. The Eagles racked up 18 kills over the course of the set.
SET 3 | Morehead State closed the match in a 3-0 sweep after winning set three. The Eagles took the set 25-17, helped by a strong performance on the attacking side. Morehead State registered a .464 attack percentage with 17 kills in the set win. The Eagles ended on a strong note, stretching their lead to its largest point in the set to finish out the stanza.
Next Up
Morehead State closes the UNCA event on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET versus another new DI foe in Stonehill (Mass.).
