Greensboro, N.C. - The Greensboro College Volleyball team has now vaulted themselves into serious contention of winning the USA South Athletic Conference Volleyball Championship. The Pride had won three of the last four matches they have played.nNext up, a trip that would send them to Fayetteville, N.C. to take on the Methodist University Monarchs in the opener and immediately follow-up with Meredith College in back-to-back contests.

Match 1 was against the home standing Monarchs coming into the contest at 7-5 overall and 2-1 in conference play. A team that could creep up the standings by defeating the visitor.

Set 1 was decided by a late run by the Monarchs. A tight set throughout until the Monarchs went on an 8-1 run, erasing a two-point deficit into 23-18 lead and an eventual 25-21 set victory.

Set 2 started slowly for the Pride before a "power outburst" vaulted Greensboro into a 11-9 lead highlighted by kills by Jade Vrobel, Jaylyn Templeton, and a pair by Payton Shiflet. The remainder of the set was a true nail-biter as neither team could gain as much as a two-point advantage. But as the Monarchs were looking to end the set with a 24-23 lead, the Pride stormed back. The muscle would show as Payton Shiflet and Taylor Cotie (twice), would send rockets to the hardwood courtesy of assists from Jaylin "The Maestro" Templeton and snatch Set 2 by a 26-24 score.

Set 3 would begin close, but a 6-point Monarch run would build a 5-point advantage. But one thing we have learned is Head Coach Kevin Troup's squad battles back. And this situation was no different as the Pride would claw back to 19-18, thanks in large part to the dominant play of Payton Shiflet, before falling in Set 3 by a score of 25-22.

A Set 4 win would be required for this match to continue, and the Pride understood their dilemma perfectly. A 4-4 tie would balloon into a 24-11 lead courtesy of multiple kills, including 3 by Kelci Brooks, service aces, and Monarch mistakes. The barrage of points left the Monarchs on the wrong side of a lopsided 25-13 score.

Set 5, being played to 15 points, would be the finale and both teams started evenly. However, the Pride would again go on one of their expected runs and would turn a 7-6 deficit to a 15- 8 victory to win the match, 3 sets to 2 sets. The huge run would be triggered by Payton Shiflet's four kills as the Monarchs had no answer for the freshman from Asheboro, NC.

The win would move the Pride to 9-8 on the season and 4-1 in the USA South Conference standings.

Match 2 would feature a pair of teams that are both in the hunt for conference honors. The Meredith Avenging Angels, sporting a solid 10-6 overall record and 3-1 in conference play as their day would begin. Obviously, the Pride would have a quick turnaround after a taxing 5 set match not long ago.

Set 1 would be an uphill climb for the Pride. They trailed mostly throughout, but their resilience would bring them back to all square 5 times, including at 14, before falling 25-19. Just as in the first match, the Pride would find themselves down a set early.

Set 2 would be vital for a volleyball team that may be just running out of gas. Quickly getting down 14-8 had a definite effect on the entire coaching staff and team as they began a run that may have been some of the best volleyball of the year against a quality opponent. The 6-point deficit became a 17-16 lead. A pair of new additions joined "The Power Company" as Rosanna Espinoza-Ponce and Abey Hancock would register kills during the scoring surge. From that point the Pride went on to take set 2 by a score of 25-21 and any concerns of fatigue had been replaced with Greensboro can win this match.

Set 3 would see the Pride getting off to the quick start as Shiflet and Brooks were making their presence felt above the net. Now for a change the Pride were ahead early by a score of 16-8. But the Avenging Angels would not fade away and would come back to force overtime. Gritty Meredith College would win the set 29-27 and take a 2-1 set advantage putting the Pride in a tight spot.

In Set 4, the Pride would respond as all good and experienced teams do by jumping out to a sizable 21-11 lead. But as in the set before, the Avenging Angels would battle back on a huge run to pull even at 22. But this roller coaster of a set would eventually come to an end with Greensboro going to overtime for a 26-24 victory. Consecutive kills by Vrobel, a pair by Shiflet, and the last by Kantley McKown would seal the deal.

Set 5, the decider, would finally show the Greensboro College Volleyball team were "Primetime Players". There would be no late-game theatrics from the Avenging Angels as the Pride would dominate the set by a score of 15-5. Again, they would be taken to their breaking point and would find the fortitude to come out victorious, moving their overall record to 10-8 and their conference record to an impressive 5-1.

Head Coach Kevin Troup had these comments after a long day of high energy volleyball: "This team showed resilience today. We struggled at times but made big plays as well. In the second match we saw big leads dwindle, but we were able to keep our composure and take early control of the 5th set. These young ladies grew up today and we are very proud of them as a coaching staff."

The upstart Greensboro Pride Volleyball team will again take the court again at historic Hanes Gymnasium on Tuesday, October 4th , at 7:00PM.

For more information in Greensboro College Pride Volleyball, please visit www.greensborocollegesports.com