BOONE, N.C. (9/23/16) – The Arkansas State volleyball team opened Sun Belt Conference play Friday night in dominating fashion with a 3-0 (25-16, 25-15, 25-7) sweep of Appalachian State at Varsity Gym in Boone, N.C.

The win for the Red Wolves (9-6, 1-0 SBC) extended their conference win streak to 17 matches after going undefeated in Sun Belt play last year. Carlisa May led the team with 13 kills on a .333 attacking percentage while Anna Murphy was second with eight kills and hit at a .615 clip. Mallory Warrington dished out 30 assists, while Markie Schaedig registered 19 digs. Murphy had four blocks to lead the squad, while Kenzie Fields had three service aces as A-State posted an 8-2 ace to service error mark.

“This was a total team effort,” A-State head volleyball coach David Rehr said. “The team executed the game plan to near perfection, we passed well, we defended well, and our defensive intensity was a key to this happening. We've been on the brink and showing flashes of putting together matches like this, but this was an all-around great match on our part.”

The first set was locked in an 11-11 tie to begin, but a block by Jessica Uke and Warrington gave A-State a 12-11 advantage that turned into a 21-14 lead to force an Appalachian State (2-12, 0-1 SBC) timeout. A-State closed out the set on a 4-2 run with the final two points coming on Brentlee Weaver kills to win 25-16.

A-State jumped out to a 10-4 edge in set two on a Fields kill and extended the advantage to 21-13 on a kill by May to force a Mountaineers' timeout. Once again, A-State concluded the set on a 4-2 run to earn a 25-15 win.

Set three was all Red Wolves as the team jumped in front of App State 17-4 on a block by Murphy and Fields. After a timeout, the Mountaineers won two straight points to make the score 17-6, but A-State ended the set on an 8-1 run, capped by a Murphy kill, to claim a 25-7 set win and the sweep.