Like Columbus State Athletics on Facebook!
Tweet #GoCSU

By: Josh Fuller

PEMBROKE, N.C. – The Columbus State University volleyball team recorded its first Peach Belt Conference win of the season Saturday defeating UNC Pembroke 3-0 (25-22, 25-17, 25-23). The match took place at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court in Pembroke, N.C.
 
Zoemy Barreto Pereira once again led the way for the Lady Cougars with 13 kills while hitting a season best .444. Mary McCarty had seven kills with Megan Frame and Andrea Skipor both chipping in six.
 
"I thought we played a very clean match today," said CSU head coach Casey Cornett. "We still have plenty to work on, but it was great to see us bounce back after a tough loss less than 24 hours ago."
 
CSU (8-4, 1-3 PBC) and UNC Pembroke battled in the early part of the first set. The score was tied 10 times through the first 26 points until the Lady Cougars strung together a run. A Malaisia Stallworth kill started a spurt of three straight CSU points to give the Lady Cougars a comfortable lead.
 
UNC Pembroke (1-13, 0-4) had a rally in it, however. Down 20-16, the Braves won six of the next seven points to take a 22-21 lead.
 
After a Columbus State timeout, the Lady Cougars closed the set on a four-point run to take the stanza 25-22.
 
In set two, the Braves raced out to a 4-0 lead until the Lady Cougars found a rhythm. After cutting the lead down to 7-5, CSU won 10 of the next 11 points to go up 15-8. Kylie Beaubien fueled the run with three aces.
 
CSU eventually built its lead up to 18-11 before cruising to a 25-17 win.
 
Columbus State started off quick in set three doubling up the Braves 10-5 early on. McCarty, Barreto Pereira and Andrea Skipor each had two kills apiece to begin the set.
 
The Braves looked to be fading away down 17-12, but UNCP had one last rally left. UNC Pembroke won seven of the next eight points to go ahead 19-18.
 
CSU immediately responded, winning the next five points to put the match away. Barreto Pereira had two more kills while Frame and Abby King each chipped in.
 
Up 24-23, King slammed down the final kill to give CSU the 25-23 set win.        
 
Barreto Pereira collected a double-double after tallying 13 digs to go along with her team high kill total. Caytlin Merritt had 14 digs to lead CSU. King had 34 assists.
 
Columbus State will be back in action on Tuesday, September 27 at Montevallo. The match will begin at 7 p.m.