CSU Back on Track with 3-1 Comeback Win Over Coastal Carolina

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Charleston Southern got back to the win column in a big way, snapping a five game losing skid with a 3-1 win (18-25, 25-17, 25-22, 27-25) over the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, Tuesday at the CSU Field House.  The Bucs proved how dangerous they can be in conference play, using three straight wins to come back in the match, including a down to the wire 27-25 win to finish it off.  CSU improved to 12-14 on the season with a 3-8 mark in the Big South, while CCU dropped to 14-11 and 7-4 in the conference. 

Amanda Hill got back to form with one of her best matches of the year, tallying 23 kills, 18 digs and three blocks.  Nichole Diller also continued to impress, recording 16 digs on .394 hitting to go along with three blocks.  Sam Sasan and Cori Holeman also chipped in with 49 assists and six blocks, respectively.  For the Chanticleers, Chelsy Kimes had a big match with 14 kills and 16 digs. 

CCU came out to play right away in the opening set, jumping on a 6-1 lead, thanks to a kill by Kimes.  The Bucs used a kill from Hill and a Chanticleer error to get within four at the 9-5 mark.  CCU used another 6-1 spurt to increase their advantage, going up 15-6.  CSU showed some life late in the set, outscoring the Chanticleers 12-9 in the final points, but it was too little too late, as a Sierra Livesay kill gave CCU a 25-18 win.

Riding the home crowd’s energy, the Bucs bounced back in the second set to take a big win of their own.  The Chanticleers were on top 3-2 to start, but CSU used a 6-2 run, including three straight kills from Hill, to go up 9-4.  The Bucs played comfortably from ahead, taking their biggest lead of the set at the 22-10 mark on another kill from Hill.  CCU managed a late 7-2 run, but Hill was too much, sending down her 11th kill of the frame to make the Bucs 25-17 winners.

CSU played steady in the third set, coming back from an early deficit to take control before the eventual 25-22 win.  The Chanticleers took advantage of three straight miscues from the Bucs to start, going up 6-2.  CCU held their lead out at the 11-9 mark, but a kill from Hill had it tied at 12 apiece.  The Chanticleers then went up 16-14, thanks to a Jill Nyhof kill, before the fourth tie of the set came on a Diller kill, making the score 17-17.   CSU had their first lead since a 1-0 score at 18-17 and created some distance when the scoreboard showed 20-17.  CCU would only get as close as two and who else but Hill would end the set with a kill, giving the Bucs a 2-1 set lead.

The fourth set was anyone’s to have, but CSU grinded out the win to take a big match in front of their home crowd.  The Bucs fell behind early again, with a couple errors that allowed the Chanticleers an 8-3 lead.  Similar to the third set, CCU held their lead out to an 11-11 tie.  It was tied again at 15 and 16, where CSU had three unanswered to go up 20-17, thanks to a kill from Holeman.  It was Big South action at its best with the set winding down, as the Chanticleers closed to gap until it was tied at 23 apiece.  Each team traded points to the 25-25 mark, but Diller proved to be the difference, sending down back-to-back kills for a 27-25 win. 

CSU will have a change of pace, as they stay at home for the next two matches this weekend, vs. Gardner-Webb on Friday, October 30th, at 7 p.m. and UNC Asheville on Saturday, October 31st, at 2 p.m.  CCU will play one match this weekend, on the road against Radford on Saturday, at 2 p.m.