UNCP roundup: Braves soccer locks up division title with win over Mount Olive
Oct. 30—MOUNT OLIVE — Abigail Lowry's goal was more than enough for the UNC Pembroke soccer team to defeat home-standing Mount Olive 2-0, and lock up the Conference Carolinas East Division title. The Braves will now get a double bye in the conference tournament that is set to begin Wednesday, November 1.
Ashleigh Harris tallied her sixth goal of the year on a Lowry assist to give the Braves some extra breathing room.
The Braves (10-3-3, 8-1-3 CC) moved to 12-4-2 in the all-time series against the Trojans (5-4-7, 4-3-5 CC), as well as improving to 6-2-1 when playing in Mount Olive. The Black & Gold also took their unbeaten streak out to ten games.
Lowry took control of a loose ball in the 26th minute and did the rest herself as she made a move to get free just inside the box and fired a left-footed strike to beat the Trojan goalkeeper, giving UNCP at 1-0 lead.
In the 69th minute, Lowry played a perfect ball ahead to Harris, who one-touched it home from the top of the box to close out the scoring.
Lowry led the way with her seventh goal and fifth assist of the season. Harris had eight shots, with four on goal; both match-highs to go along with her goal.
Chiara Coppin's clean sheet was the 21st of her career.
The Black & Gold had more shots on goal than their opponent had shots for the ninth time in 16 matches this season.
UNCP will now prepare for the Conference Carolinas Tournament, with matchups and game times to be determined.
UNCP volleyball breezes by King
The UNC Pembroke volleyball team hit .248 from the net and used double-digit kills from Vanja Przulj and Ruby Countryman on the way to a 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-15) victory over King on Saturday at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.
The victory for the Braves (15-13, 9-5 CC) pushed their win streak out to two games and improve to a perfect 3-0 all-time against King. The Tornado (8-15, 4-9 CC) have now dropped their last two matches and fall to 3-7 when playing on the road.
Kyleigh Coghlan's service ace pushed the UNC Pembroke lead out to 8-3 in the opening set. The Braves hit .213 from the net and went on a 6-0 scoring surge to extend their lead out to 21-10, and they won the set 25-13.
UNCP got another quick start in the second set and took a 12-6 advantage with blocks from Katelynn Swain and Emma Fraidenburg. Three consecutive points from King trimmed its deficit back to 13-10, but the Braves would go on a 5-0 run to push their lead out to 21-13 en route to a 25-16 set win to lead the match 2-0.
Five-straight points from the Tornado knotted the third-set score at 10 apiece. UNC Pembroke hit a match-high .300 from the net and put together an 11-3 run to take the lead for good, clinching the match with a 25-15 win.
Przulj had 20 kills, 12 digs and two aces for UNCP, Countryman had 12 kills and two blocks, Abby Peduzzi had seven kills and 15 digs, Katie Pressley had 40 assists and two blocks, Couglan had 17 digs, Swain had six blocks and Tyler Patterson had two aces.
The Braves be back in action at home on Tuesday for a key matchup in the Battle of I-95 against Francis Marion. First serve is set for 7 p.m. at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.
