GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) volleyball team defeated Queens, 3-1, (22-25, 25-22, 25-17, 25-15) and Sacred Heart, 3-0, (25-10, 25-20, 25-20) to begin the 2025 regular season on Friday in Greensboro, North Carolina, in Fleming Gymnasium.
 
The last time UNCG started a season off 2-0 was in 2022 with a 3-0 win over Bethune-Cookman and a 3-2 victory over Coppin State in the Spartan-Aggie Tournament in Greensboro.
 
Match 1: UNCG 3 – Queens 1

Set 1 – The Royals took an early 5-2 lead over the Spartans to start the match. UNCG took its first lead with a 3-0 run featuring a kill from Izora Gragg, followed by two consecutive service aces from Robin Rosser to make it 8-7 Spartans. Queens bounced back with a 4-1 run to regain the lead and hold it for the remainder of the set. Despite UNCG coming back within one on a couple occasions, Queens was able to earn set one, 25-22.

Set 2 – The second set was a point-for-point duel with 11 ties in the early goings. However, with UNCG down 10-12, the squad notched three unanswered points to take a 13-12 advantage and hold the lead for the remainder of game two. Regardless of Queens being within a point a few times, a kill from Rosser followed by an attack error from the Royals granted UNCG set two, 25-22.
 
Set 3 – The Royals got on the board first in the set, but it would be their only lead of the game. UNCG retaliated with three consecutive points and never looked back. With the Blue & Gold on top, 15-9, the squad recorded a 4-0 run to take its biggest lead of the set, 19-9. A final kill from Rosser secured set three for the Spartans, 25-17.
 
Set 4 – The final frame started off going back-and-forth until the Spartans notched a 5-0 run with kills from Siena Smiejek and Allie Sweet and a service ace from McKenna Timmerman for a 7-3 advantage. The Spartans continued to control the momentum in set four. Timmerman secured the final kill of the match to give the Spartans set four, 25-15, for the 3-1 victory.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Gragg posted her first double-double of the season and 12^th of her career with 48 assists and matching her career-best of 15 digs.
• Chloe Nussbaum recorded a new career-best 26 digs.
• Sweet matched her career-best of 27 kills.
• Rosser led the match with a new career-high of three service aces and added a new career-best of 13 kills.
• Timmerman followed in behind with 11 kills in the match.
• Smiejeck paced the Spartans with four blocks.
   

Match 2: UNCG 3 – Sacred Heart 0

Set 1 – An 8-1 start from UNCG propelled the squad to never allow Sacred Heart to lead in set one. The Spartans notched six consecutive points to close out game one, 25-10.

Set 2 – A service error from Sacred Heart put UNCG on top 1-0 in the second set before the Pioneers took their first and only lead of the set with two back-to-back points, 2-1. However, six straight points put the Blue & Gold back on top, 7-2. The Spartans held the lead for the remainder of the stanza. A set-point kill from Rosser granted UNCG set two, 25-20.
 
Set 3 – The final frame was more of a back-and-forth battle seeing a total of nine ties and five lead changes. With Sacred on top, 21-20, a kill from Sweet began a 4-0 rally for the Spartans to claim the third and final set, 25-20, for the straight-set victory.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Rosser and Timmerman led the match with 13 and 12 kills, respectively.
• Connore' Siler-Nixon paced the match with four blocks.
• Nussbaum and Sweet led the way in digs with 14 and 12, respectively.
• Gragg was the leading setter with 28 assists.
• Rosser recorded a new career-best eight digs.

RECORDS
UNCG: 2-0
Queens: 1-1
Sacred Heart: 0-2

PURCHASE UNCG GEAR
UNCGgear.com is your one-stop shop for all of your official UNCG merchandise! From apparel to accessories, there is something for everyone!
 
UP NEXT
The Spartans will conclude the Spartan Classic on Saturday by taking on Gardner-Webb in Fleming Gymnasium at 4:00 p.m. Saturday's game is a part of UNCG's Rawkin' Welcome Week Event.