Outside hitter Maja Jechorek sends the ball back toward the Spartans Wednesday night. Photo by Jaimie McGirt

by LINDSEY HUNTSINGER
Sports Reporter

The Appalachian State volleyball team took on UNC-Greensboro last night in a crucial match that would help the Mountaineers further their hopes of a birth into the Southern Conference tournament.

“These last two matches we have in our heads that we have to win them both,” senior outside hitter Maja Jechorek said. “We’re going to do whatever it takes to win them.”

Due to some communication and hitting errors, the Mountaineers found themselves in a 20-15 hole late in the first game. They fought their way back to 23-21, but were unable to maintain the momentum and dropped the first game to the Spartans, 25-21.

“We came out a little relaxed. One of there players was not with them, so we might have thought that they weren’t going to step up,” freshman outside hitter Meghann Forshey said.

Jechorek led the Apps with eight kills, while senior libero Cassie Engelgau contributed nine digs in the game.

The Mountaineers took the second set 25-15 on a Caroline Sedon block, tying the game at 1-1, before the game break.

“I hate breaks so much. We have so much momentum, then we have to go and sit in the locker room for ten minutes,” Forshey said.

The third game moved quickly in favor of the Mountaineers, and they won 25-19, taking the lead in the match 2-1.

A fourth set win would give App the match, and keep them in the running for a spot in the SoCon tournament. However, the Mountaineers fell 25-20, forcing a fifth and deciding game.

The Apps got up early on the Spartans, 3-0, in a 15-point game. The game experienced eight ties and four lead changes before the Mountaineers were able to pull in the game, and the match victory 17-15.

“Game five was crazy, crazy,” Forshey said. “I was so pumped up, I felt like I was on autopilot. I barely remember it. It was so fast and so exciting.”

Jechorek had 28 kills on the night, moving into ninth place on the Appalachian individual match records list. Appalachian faces the Elon Phoenix Saturday in a must win match to send them to the conference tournament. Sunday is their last home game of the season, and will also be senior day. 

“The crowd tonight was awesome. I want to thank the crowd,” Ginipro said. “A lot of people came out, and hopefully we got them hooked, because we really need them out here on Saturday.”

Photo by Jaimie McGirt  |  The Appalachian

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