ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. - The NC Wesleyan Volleyball team punched their ticket to the USA South Conference Tournament with their 3-0 sweep of Mary Baldwin University (Va.) in the first match of their home tri-match with MBU and Pfeiffer University (NC) on Sunday afternoon.

NCWC 3, MBU 0

NC Wesleyan won the first set over MBU in dominating fashion 25-14 before hitting an impressive 15 kills on just one error (.438) in the second set to roll 25-11. They then totaled 14 kills in the final set to clinch it 25-16.

Junior OH Autumn Spence led the Bishops with 11 kills while hitting .320 with 4 digs while freshman middle Lauren Weaver put up 9 kills and one error to hit .471 with 3 blocks. Fellow middle Hannah Thrasher also had 8 kills to hit .438 with 2 blocks as well.

Leading defensively was sophomore OH Callie Cline with 14 digs while junior setter Haileigh Riesenbeck then led with 16 assists along with 3 digs and an ace. Freshman right side Sydney Barnwell also played well hitting a team-high .600 with 6 kills and zero errors while setters Kelly Ammons and Makayla Jordan also combined for 17 assists in the win.

Wesleyan improves to 9-22 overall and 4-11 in the conference while MBU falls to 1-30 and 0-16 in conference. 

NCWC 3, Pfeiffer 1

The Battling Bishops came out strong again in their second match of the day rolling past the Falcons in four sets (25-14, 25-21, 15-25, 25-19) to pick up their 10th win of the season and 5th in the conference, their 3rd straight year with double-digit wins.

Wesleyan ended up totaling 12 total blocks, 44 kills, 79 kills, and hit .153 to out-distance the Falcons (9-18, 5-11) in each category. Lauren Weaver then led the way with 12 kills and 9 total blocks hitting .476 to lead in all categories.

Callie Cline also played well recording a double-double of 10 kills and 14 digs with an ace, an assist and a block while Barnwell registered 8 kills, 3 digs, 2 blocks, and 2 assists.

Riesenbeck then added 21 assists with 8 digs and a kill as well as the setter while fellow Setter, Ammons, also recorded a double-double of 13 assists and 13 digs with an ace.

Spence and fellow junior Hannah Huls then played the last matches of their career in Everett Gymnasium as they will graduate early. Spence had 6 kills, 4 digs, and an ace while Huls had 9 digs, an ace, and a kill.

NCWC improves to 10-22 overall and 5-11 in the conference and will now head on the road for the USA South Tournament as the 6 seed in the East Division beginning Tuesday with a first round match vs. 3 seed Averett University. The match will be played at 5 PM at William Peace University in Raleigh. The winner of that match will face the Pacers later that night in the Quarterfinals.