Megan Kaminskas recorded 14 kills to lead the High Point University volleyball team past St. Andrews Presbyterian College, 3-0 (25-5, 25-17, 26-24) on Saturday afternoon in the Millis Center.
Kaminskas hit .500 on the day for the Panthers (18-3). Freshman Laura Ann Huskey tallied 10 kills. Holly Fong recorded the first double-double of her career with 30 assists and 11 digs. Breanna Holliday led the team on the back line with 15 digs.
"It was a great opportunity for some of our other players to get quality playing time," said HPU head coach Chad Esposito. "I was really proud of the way that Breanna [Holliday], Laura Ann [Huskey] and Holly [Fong] played. It is difficult with a senior dominated squad to get our freshmen players some time and it was good to be able to get them on the court. Megan Kaminskas played great as well and she really kept St. Andrews defense off-balance. Overall we had a great weekend and now we have started focusing on and preparing for our match on Tuesday against Liberty."
For the Knights (7-13), Galina Podolsky had five kills. Jaime Hayes recorded 15 assists and Kelly Williams tallied six digs.
Fong opened the first set with 12 straight serves, highlighted by four aces to go up 12-1. St. Andrews was unable to keep possession of the ball to rally back as HPU rolled to the victory in the opening set.
In the second set, Samantha Baden opened up a long serving run for the Panthers to put them on top 12-5. The Knights responded with a run of their own to cut the lad to four at 14-10. The Panthers outscored St. Andrews 11-7 to close out the set.
St. Andrews came out strong in the third set, going on a pair of serving runs to take a 12-4 lead over the Panthers. The Knights kept their lead until a service ace from Stephanie Wallin gave HPU the 19-18 advantage. SAPC would not go away and took back the lead at 22-20. HPU again knotted the set at 23 and 24, but kills from Kaminskas and Wallin would help the Panthers take the match.
The Panthers will be back in action on Tuesday when they travel to Lynchburg, Va. to face Big South foe Liberty at 7:00 p.m. in the Vines Center. High Point and Liberty are the only unbeaten teams in the Big South. The winner will take sole possession of first place in the League.
