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BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Mary Crema set a new school record in digs with 1,625 as the Camels came back to win 3-2 (25-15, 17-25, 19-25, 26-24, 15-12) over Winthrop. Campbell moves to 8-12 overall and 3-4 in the Big South while Winthrop moves to 8-13 and 3-4 BSC.
"We battled," said head coach Greg Goral. "We had to battle as Winthrop is a very good team. They took a two games to one lead. Our young team managed to compose themselves and be more aggressive as they executed at a higher level in game four and pulled out that win. Game five was just a battle of wills. Who ever served better, passed better was going to win that set and we managed to serve and pass just a little bit better than they did. Neither team hit well on the day, but both defenses were tremendous. So it was more of a grind them out and earn every point that you can. Games two and three they won the long rallies and games four and five we won the long ones. This just shows the character of our team. They are growing each week and this was another step forward for us."
Crema led the defense with 32 digs as she set the new school record in individual career digs. She passed Kristine Rogers who held the record with 1,604 digs set during her time as a Camel ('94-'97). Freshman Jessica Stocking had 11 kills in the match as the team recorded 48 on the afternoon.
Winthrop got an early four-point lead in the first set going up 9-5. The Camels tied the set up at 10 all on an error by Lourdes Rosario. Campbell gained a two-point lead (12-10) after a pair of Winthrop errors and never relinquished control of the set. The Orange and Black went on a 13-5 run spurred by a Rachel Harty kill to close up the set 25-15. Madison Linxwiler led the attack with four of the Camels 12 kills while Harty added three.
Campbell gained the early lead in set two going up 6-4 over the Eagles. Rosario would tie the set at seven all on a service ace giving the Eagles the momentum needed to take the lead and win the set. Winthrop went on an 18-10 run to wrap up the second set 25-17 led by Nikki Drost and Brianna Gray who recorded four kills each. Four Camels tallied two kills each as the team earned nine in the second set.
The score tied up seven times as both teams fought for control of the set. It wasn't until the Camels gave up a couple of errors late in the set that either team gained control. The game was tied at 17 all when Winthrop got the lead as they went on to win the set 25-19. Crema earned her 12th dig of the match in the third set that put her in control of the school record for individual career digs. Katelyn Layden recorded four of the Camels eight kills as the game headed into the fourth set.
Winthrop got early the four-point lead (6-2) over the Camels in the fourth set on several kills and an ace. Campbell came back to tie and take the lead after going on a 10-1 run with Jenny Tait back serving. The Orange and Black held a three-point lead for a majority of the set, but the Eagles came back to tie the game 24 all on a service ace by Mallary McFadden. A Winthrop error and kill by Stocking gave the Camels the 26-24 lead to win the set and tie the match at two games apiece.
Much like the previous four sets the fifth set was a fight for control. The teams went back and forth on serving and receiving not allowing the other squad to go up by more than a point. The Eagles got a two-point lead to put them up 12-10, but a kill by Stocking spurred the 5-0 run that the Camels needed to win the set 15-12 and the match 3-2.
Campbell returns to action on Tuesday as it hosts the Eagles of N.C. Central for a midweek game. First serve is set for 6 p.m. as the Camels recognize their favorite Faculty and Staff members prior to the game.
