Tiger Volleyball Picks Up Two Wins On Friday In Big Orange Bash Action

Sept. 1, 2006

CLEMSON, SC – The Clemson volleyball team defeated Western Carolina and Tennessee State in day two action at the Big Orange Bash to improve to 3-3 on the year. The Tigers’ final match in this year’s tournament will be against Charlotte at 12:30 pm on Saturday at Jervey Gym. Tennessee State and Western Carolina will meet in the first match of the day beginning at 10:00 am, and the Catamounts will take on South Carolina at 3:00 pm. The 2006 Big Orange Bash will conclude with Tennessee State and Charlotte battling at 5:30 pm.

Against the TSU Tigers in the evening match, Clemson won a 3-0 decision, led by the serving of senior Anna Vallinch. The native of Papillion, NE served the Tigers’ final 11 points of the second game, giving Clemson a 30-12 victory, and then clinched the match with two aces to cap a seven-point Tiger rally.

Leslie Mansfield held match-high honors with 12 kills, while also tallying 11 digs. Didem Ege led the backcourt with 23 defensive saves, while Danielle Hepburn hit a match-high .529 and recorded eight total blocks.

Kelly Davis led Tennessee State with nine kills, while Kelley Smith had a team-best four block assists.

All 14 members of the Clemson team earned playing time in the Tigers’ 3-0 victory over Western Carolina. Abbott had a team-high 13 kills in the contest with a .455 hitting percentage. Overall, Clemson hit .337 and posted 12 total blocks, led by Hepburn’s eight.

A Hepburn kill returned the serve to the Tigers for their 25th point of the first game, and Hepburn served the final five points to put Clemson ahead, 1-0, in the match. In the second game, the Tigers jumped out to an early 8-2 advantage and extended their lead to as many as 12 points late in the game. Clemson then won the game by a score of 30-17. The Tigers then dominated the third game, winning by a 30-7 margin. Leslie Mansfield served the final six points of the game, recording two aces during the stretch.

In other Big Orange Bash action on Friday, South Carolina defeated Charlotte, 3-0, in the first match of the day. The Gamecocks’ Shonda Cole led all hitters with 15 kills, while Belita Salters posted six total blocks in the match. Cori Dayton had a team-best 11 kills for the 49ers.

South Carolina then defeated Tennessee State in four games. Shonda Cole and Marija Milosevic tallied double figure kills for the Gamecocks with 16 and 12, respectively. The Tigers of Tennessee State posted 14 total blocks, led by Endia Oliver and Meesha Jackson who each posted seven.

In the fourth match of the day, Western Carolina picked up its first victory of the season, coming from behind to win a five-game thriller over Charlotte. The Catamounts’ Heather Koontz led all hitters with 23 kills, while posting a .413 percentage. Cori Dayton had a team-best 20 kills for the 49ers and setter Eden Ramos recorded 59 assists in the contest.