Sept. 22, 2006
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Senior Carly Moyers (Eden Prairie, Minn./Louisiana Tech) posted a .435 attack percentage on 12 kills and only two errors to help lead West Florida to a 3-0 (30-24,30-22,30-20) win over Alabama-Huntsville Friday evening at Spragins Hall. With the win, West Florida (8-7, 3-0 GSC) extended their winning streak to five. Alabama-Huntsville (4-12, 1-3 GSC) lost for the fourth time in their last five matches.
"Alabama-Huntsville did a good job early of containing us," said West Florida head coach Melissa Wolter. "Once we got in a rhythm, the match went our way."
West Florida rebounded from an early deficit to win the first game. The Argonauts trailed 14-9 and were still behind with Alabama-Huntsville leading 22-18. At that point, kills by Moyers, Naiara Fernandes (Belo Horizonte, Brazil/Lee University) and Jesse Keroack (Gainesville, Fla./Eastside HS) and a Lady Charger attack error tied the game at 22. West Florida extended to a 26-22 lead on two Moyers kills and two Alabama-Huntsville set errors. Fernandes closed out the first game with consecutive service aces to give the Argonauts the win.
Just like Alabama-Huntsville in the first game, West Florida jumped out to a 14-9 lead in game two. But Alabama-Huntsville eventually tied the game at 16. With the score tied at 16, two Melina Pereira (Sao Paulo, Brazil/UNIVAP) service aces and two Alabama-Huntsville attack errors pushed the Argonauts lead to 20-16. Consecutive kills by Fernandes and Christina Johnson (Farmington, Mo/Farmington HS) closed out the Argonauts game two win.
West Florida pulled away midway through the third game to complete the sweep. With the score tied at 12, West Florida reeled off four consecutive points, including two Fernandes service aces, to open up a four-point lead. West Florida recorded six straight points later in the game to widen their lead. At match point, Fernandes received a set from Pereira and tallied her 14th kill of the match to complete the sweep. It was West Florida's fourth win over Alabama-Huntsville in the last five meetings.
Fernandes led West Florida with 14 kills and four service aces. Danielle Spitzer (Birmingham, Ala./Western Carolina) added nine kills on only two errors for a .467 attack percentage. West Florida totaled nine service aces in the match. Kelly Ingram totaled a match-high 16 kills for Alabama-Huntsville.
West Florida will put their five-game winning streak on the line Saturday afternoon at 19th ranked North Alabama. The Argonauts and Lions are the only two remaining undefeated teams in the Gulf South Conference East Division. West Florida has not defeated North Alabama in 10 previous matches.
"Anytime we can go on a streak, it helps our confidence," said Wolter. "We feel we have a shot at taking down a really good team in North Alabama tomorrow."
