Volleyball sweeps Clark Atlanta for fifth consecutive win:
The Lander volleyball team completed an unbeaten week with a 3-0 sweep of Clark Atlanta on Saturday afternoon in Finis Horne Arena. The Bearcats claimed the match 25-16, 25-21, 25-14, for their ninth sweep of the season.
Lander (13-2) picked up its second win over the Panthers (0-4) in program history. The two teams last met in 2013.
“Our girls handled business and did what they needed to do,” said head coach Ashley White. “Now, we’ve really got to get to work [with] conference next week. Overall, I’m very pleased and excited to see what we do next week.”
Kaitlyn Krafka led the Bearcats with 17 kills and came two digs shy of recording her eighth consecutive double-double. Madilyn Reed posted 31 assists and Hanna McManus finished with 14 digs. Reilly Kuenstler posted eight kills and two service aces on the day.
Lander took control of the first set with a 12-0 run that broke open a 4-4 tie, highlighted by three service aces from Kyra Ross and a pair of kills from Kunestler. Krafka ended the set with a kill for a 25-16 Bearcat win.
In a back-and-forth second set, Lander led 21-20 before kills from Imari Ashley and Kuenstler. After a Panther timeout, McManus delivered an ace and Hritz ended the set two points later with a kill.
Both teams appeared to be heading for another nail-biting set in the third, but the Bearcats pulled ahead 14-7 with a 7-0 run, led by three kills from Krafka. Leading 20-14, Lander closed the match with five straight points, ending with a block from Ashley and Krafka.
Lander will face its first conference road test of the season on Tuesday, Sept. 25, as the Bearcats travel to in-state foe USC Aiken.
